Darkness Descends
by Moriarty-assbutt
Summary: Pre-Avengers. Blackfrost. While on a mission, Natasha Romanoff is saved by a mysterious stranger who brings her back to his home for safety. Little does she know that this man is the God of Mischief.
1. This is Darkness

** So I wrote this quite a while ago, before I wrote my first fic 'The Beauty of the Dark' but I didn't like it so I scrapped it. But I went back to it and changed it up a little and so hopefully it's not too bad...**

**Enjoy x**

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Natasha Romanoff turned the corner of the narrow alleyway, finding an even thinner one before her. She hurriedly pushed past the busy shoppers, her eyes searching for another passage. She weaved her way through the crowds of people, moving between the tight spaces, swiftly and agile.

She found another passageway, and this one was empty. She hesitated before proceeding down the cobblestone alley, turning to look behind her to checking if anyone would see her. The walls of the two buildings that formed the passage towered above her, shielding her from the sun and leaving her in darkness. She heard the cries of the men that were chasing her not far off and she quickened her pace. She couldn't afford to move gingerly, not if she wanted to complete this mission with her life.

She turned left into a small alcove, hiding herself whilst her chasers passed by in search of the redheaded spy. She smirked at their stupidity and slinked into another passageway. The deeper she wandered into the labyrinth of narrow Spanish alleys, the more vacant they became, and the quieter her surroundings were, but she didn't let that fool her, she knew that her chasers would be hot on her trail. She slipped from alley to alley, trying her best to shake them off, but she knew they had split up, running though each alley in pursuit of her. Occasionally she would hear their cries reverberate against the walls as they caught a glimpse of her fiery red hair fleeing from sight.

Almost out of breath she stumbled into another alley, water dripped from the drains that snaked around the building beside her, and she could make out a dark figure sitting on the steps of a doorway. The figure didn't pose any threat to her, and she decided to walk for a bit, catching her breath. The cries of her opposing team were distant and she knew she had some time. She eyed the figure suspiciously, they sat huddled against the old crumbling structure of an apartment, adorned in a deep green cloak that hid their face from view.

_'Probably homeless'_ she thought to herself as she approached the cloaked figure to pass by.

Her breath was wheezy from running for such a long time. Her feet ached in the shoes that S.H.I.E.L.D. had given her along with her uniform. She stuck out like a sore thumb in her black cat suit, running down the alleys next to the locals. She let out a small breathless laugh at the prospect, rousing attention from the homeless figure. As she drew nearer she could only just make out the facial features of a man, a strong jaw and extraordinarily sharp cheekbones. He looked peculiar in his green cloak, as if from another era, but she disregarded it and moved past him cautiously.

As she approached another corner one of her opponents jumped out on her, tackling her to the ground. She struggled against him, moving her arms to hit him in the jaw, elbowing him in the ribs. He yielded and fell to the side in pain, just as she got up another opponent jumped out from the shadows.

"Ella está aquí! Yo la encontré, ella está aquí!" He yelled, informing his comrades where she was and how he had found her. "Don't move, bitch!" He spat, and he lunged towards her at full force, she fell back onto the ground, exhausted and weak. She thrashed under the heavy weight of her opponent, kicking at his groin until he writhed in pain, but the first opponent joined in to, arising from the ground and kicking at her sides. She was pinned to the ground, and her resistance was futile. She weakened her movements and let her head fall back in defeat, hearing the cheers and yells of the other henchmen nearing, she was a fool to think she could get out of this situation.

Suddenly she felt the weight of the man on top of her slight, and she opened her eyes to see the cloaked man standing above her, picking up one of the henchmen and throwing him into a wall with ease.

"Who the fuck are you?" The other opponent asked frantically, his gravely boice thick with his Spanish accent, and he backed away slightly from the mysterious stranger. The cloaked man gripped him from the collar of his crisp white dress shirt and threw him over his head with seemingly superhuman strength. Natasha rose onto her elbows and began to crawl away from the unusual yet threatening scene whilst the cloaked stranger was busy throwing more men into walls. He paused after he knocked out a fifth man that turned the corner, and noticed the red head had gone, but he could hear her behind him.

"You are going to leave without so much as a thank you?" His accent was rich and articulate, foreign, but not from Spain that was for sure.

"Who are you?" Came her reply, though it was hushed it echoed through the passageway.

"I am the man who just saved your life, am I not?" He turned to face her, his cloak still masking his visage in darkness, but Natasha could make out a glistening pair of green eyes that gazed over at her.

"Why?" She kept her voice steady, remaining as calm as she could.

"Why does anyone do anything?" She could she a smirk play on his lips even through the darkness. She rolled her eyes, not having the time for cryptic replies.

The noise of more men neared and she stiffened.

"Go." He said sternly, and he gestured his hand for her to leave. "I can hold them off."

"Thank you." She breathed with relief and turned to run, she headed back down the alley but as she reached another turn more of her opposition appeared before her. Without hesitation she flung her legs up and kicked the first one in the face, lifting off from where her boot had hit his jaw she lunged at another, hitting him with her groin and tactfully moving him to the floor as he cried out in pain. She tackled two more with ease; hand-to-hand combat was her forte. Jabbing them in the ribs and crashing her knee into their crotches, causing them to fall to the ground in pain. As she took down the last one a cold hand took hers and pulled her away, she twisted the arm that pulled her, but soon realised that it belonged to the mystery man.

"Follow me." He urged, and he led her through a passageway to their left. Not that she had much choice in the matter, his grip was quite strong and the narrowness of the passage restricted her from fighting him off.

They ran through the labyrinth hand in hand, he weaved through crowds of people, leading her god knows where.

"Where are you taking me?" She cried from behind him, wriggling her hand in attempt to get free.

"Somewhere safe." He shouted over the bustling crowds of tourists and Spanish locals. She scowled at the back of his head, she already knew of a safe place to get to, that's where she was heading before he pulled her away.

He pulled her into another street, this one was similar to all the others they had passed, decrepit and dank, the houses were all crumbling and inhabited by squatters. He led her to an abandoned house at the end of the street, she hesitated before entering, but figured she had no choice, he seemed strong and resistance could lead to her being thrown into a wall much like the henchmen he had fought off of her.

They entered the house, it was dark and smelled of rot, but she noticed a bed made up in the corner and a small clutter of used canned food. It was evident that someone had been living there and it was no question of whom. The cloaked stranger released his grip on her and moved to light a few candles, a substitute for the lack of electricity.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"It is easy to lose yourself in the many different alleyways this part of town has to offer." He replied, his back still facing her as he lit another candle. "You need to wait for a while until those men tire of looking for you and presume you have gotten away."

"I would have gotten away if you hadn't pulled me to this godforsaken place!" She waved her arms around her at the abandoned home. He chuckled heartily at her discontent.

"You would have gotten lost." He muttered matter-of-factly.

"Who are you?" She changed the subject, letting her curiosity get the better of her.

"I told you, I am the man who saved your life." His back was still turned, and his fingers played with matches until they created a flame to light more candles.

"I'm serious." She said sternly, crossing her arms and frowning in annoyance.

The man turned, allowing his face to be draped in the dim candlelight. He removed his hood, revealing his long tousled black hair. "You may call me Lukas."

Natasha was taken aback by the young mans decision to reveal himself, and the beauty of his features. His long black tousled hair rested on his shoulders and framed his face, complimenting his prominent cheekbones. He smirked as she eyed him curiously, and she managed to pull her attention back to his previous comment.

"Is that your real name?" She asked sceptically, looking him up and down. He looked so strange, in clothes that seemed from another time.

"What would be the fun in giving you my real name?" He chuckled. "Besides, would you give me yours?"

"Natalie, Natalie Rushman." She responded, her face was plain and emotionless, successfully hiding the true thoughts that ran through her mind, like where the exits where in the hovel she had found herself in, any potential weapons she could find lying around, how handsome the stranger was, and how she inwardly kicked herself for thinking about how he was handsome when there were more important things to be contemplating. The man clicked his tongue with a playful smirk.

"What is your real name?"

"That is my-"

"Do not lie to me" He cut her off. "I can easily tell when someone is lying. What is your real name?"

"You tell me yours first." Her response elicited a wide grin from the stranger.

"Loki." The unusual name sounded out through her head, and she tried her best to place where she had heard it before, in a story from when she was young or something like that.

"Loki?" She raised an eyebrow. "Give me a real name."

"That is my name." He laughed. "Unusual, I know."

"Where are you from?"

"That is another matter entirely." He laughed again, rousing another raised eyebrow from Natasha. "Now you tell me your name."

"Natasha Romanoff, or Natalia Romanova if you want to be specific." Her original name felt foreign in her mouth, it had been a while since she had used it. She berated herself for giving in so easily, she knew better than to reveal her names to strangers, but there was something about this man, something trustworthy.

"You're Russian?" He observed, and he gestured towards a small wooden chair in front of her. "Now that we are on a first name basis, please sit."

Natasha gingerly took a seat opposite him, her eyes wondered over his peculiar clothing that was now visible in the candlelight.

"You're not from around here either, are you?"

"No, I'm not."

"How long have you been staying here?"

The man hesitated, relaxing into his chair and allowing the shadows to cloak his face from view once more.

"I have been here for what feels like an eternity, but what can only be two weeks or so." His smooth voice was resonant and sounded out his words as if he were reciting poetry.

"Are you hiding from someone?"

"You could say that." He chuckled.

They fell into a silence. Natasha scanned the room again, searching for an exit, a weapon, anything. She hated the feeling of being trapped. Even if this 'Loki' meant no harm she wasn't taking any chances.

"Well this has been fun." She got up from her chair, and the man looked up at her with a raised eyebrow. "But I should be going."

"By all means, go if you wish." Natasha could detect a smirk stretch across the mans face and she raised her guard. "Good luck finding your way back, and that's if those men don't find you first."

"I'm pretty sure I can cope." She smiled sardonically and moved to the door.

Loki raised his eyebrows again and chuckled at her determination. "Very well then, Natasha. I wish you the best of luck."

"Why would it be difficult to get back?" She asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"This area of town is a maze, a labyrinth of twists and turns, and at night it can be easy to lose oneself." He sighed and arose from his chair, his face returning to the candlelight. "I offer you this shelter for the night, and I will guide you back to town come morning."

Natasha considered her options, never had she been so stupid, so reckless whilst on a job. She was clever, yes, but even she could not remember her way out of the maze, Loki's offer was indeed inviting.

"You'll guide me back to town?" She paused from moving to the door and looked back at the tall stranger. He smiled at her question and took a step closer, his face painted in warm orange candlelight.

"In the morning, when the light can give us a safer passage."

"What's in it for you?" She asked stoically, why would this stranger be offering to help her? He chuckled as he moved closer, his emerald green eyes dancing with amusement in the light of the candles.

"I ask for nothing in return, only to see you safely on your way in the morning." A ghost of a smirk played on his lips, yet Natasha felt no distrust towards him. She was skilled in detecting lies, and so far he had been completely truthful with her, with the exception of his name.

"Then I accept your offer." She said bluntly. She couldn't deny herself the certainty bed for the night, even if it was shabby, it would do. She feared what would happen if she were to try leave in the darkness, would she make it back?

"You may take the bed." He smiled and gestured to the dishevelled mattress in the corner.

"Where will you sleep?" She asked curiously, though regretting doing so as he smirked in amusement.

"Worry not." He assured her. "I will take the chair." And he pointed to a dark leather armchair in the corner, she hadn't noticed it before, and she wondered where it had come from.

"I see, in that case, if you don't mind, I think I'll sleep now." She watched him as an understanding smile curled the corners of his lips.

"Very well."

She tucked herself into the bed, the mattress was worn and lumpy, but it was satisfactory for her aching body. She was still clothed in her black S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform, but she daren't undress in front of Loki, he was a stranger after all, and despite his courtesy in helping her and giving her a place to stay, she didn't trust him that much.

She watched as he relaxed into his armchair, his eyes closed and seemingly deep in thought. She couldn't help her curiosity towards this peculiar 'Loki', and she tried her best to stifle her questions.

"Am I that aberrant that you must marvel at me like I am some artefact on display?" He inquired as if he had read her mind. He kept his eyes closed, and she began to wonder if he could feel her scrutiny of him.

"Why are you hiding?" She asked, failing to hold back the interest he elicited from her.

"It is no business of yours." He muttered tiredly.

"Are you on the run from the law?" She persisted, becoming slightly more aware of her lack of weaponry.

"You are a very curious being aren't you." He observed, chuckling to himself and still refraining from opening his eyes.

"I'm just trying to get to know the man who saved me." She replied sardonically, successfully hiding her growing fear of the stranger.

"Yes, why did I have to save you? Who was it you were running from?" He inquired, his eyelids slowly opening to gaze at her from his chair.

"I believe I asked you that question first." She smirked.

"So cryptic, so mysterious you are." He examined, standing slowly from his seat and taking slow steps towards the bed. Natasha became slightly uneasy under his scrutinizing gaze. "What makes you think I will tell you any of my secrets?"

"I have a knack for getting people to talk." She stated, steadying her voice as she watched him approach her.

"You and I have that in common, though in this case it seems the both of us have met our match." He sat down on the bed, gazing at her as she lay beneath the covers, still fully adorned in her uniform.

"Where are you from?" She asked him once again, tearing her gaze away from his. His eyes were so enticing; she feared she might fall into some trance just by looking at them.

"Somewhere very far away from here." He replied in his silky accented voice.

"That wasn't exactly specific." She replied, allowing herself to look back at him.

Loki chuckled breathily, his tongue peeked out from between his teeth and licked his lips, and Natasha couldn't help but stare at the sensual sight. He leaned closer to her, his emerald eyes studying her features, as if to watch for a falter in her demeanour.

"You are so very inquisitive." He whispered, and his soft breath sent a shiver down her spine, evoking another chuckle to pass his lips. "Can you not be satisfied with the knowledge I have already handed to you?"

As he drew closer, Natasha found herself at a loss for words. She watched as he licked his lips again, and admired the way his tongue slipped in and out, wetting his thin lips and making her weak with anticipation as it slowly drew back into his mouth.

Before she could reply, his lips found hers in a soft kiss. The sudden contact took the spy off guard, and before she could fully register what was happening, she felt his hands clasp her waist. Without thinking, she moved her hands to unbuckle his cloak, and he laughed, breathing into her mouth. She couldn't quite believe what she was doing, this wasn't like her at all, but something about this man drew her in. His whole disposition was charming, enticing. The way he nibbled and sucked at her lips only made her more desperate to be closer to him. Her nimble fingers worked on his cloak and released it, revealing his outlandish attire. While she worked away on his buckles and clasps, his slender fingers moved to unzip her uniform, revealing her breasts, held in a black lace bra. A smile grew as he moved his lips away from hers to take in the sight of her and he gently pushed the rest of her suit off of her shoulders, she moved her arms out of the sleeves to move better and went back to undress him. As she worked on his clothing, he trailed his lips down her neck with a multitude of passionate kisses and biting, evoking raspy moans to escape her swollen lips.

She managed to remove his top half of clothing, tugging at what appeared to be some kind of green tunic, revealing his pale and slender torso. She paused to take in the sight of him, but he was quick to move on top of her, the contact of their skin felt exquisite, and his lips released a soft moan as he moved to place more kisses in the crook of her neck. She fumbled with the buckle of his pants in a frenzy to feel more of his skin, to explore more of his fantastic body.

"No." He moaned against her milky breasts, his tongue teasing her nipple as he spoke, and he placed his hand on hers challengingly before moving to remove her uniform first. He peeled the leather away from her skin, agonisingly slowly, and a small whimper escaped her lips. After the suit was removed he turned his attentions to her underwear, unhooking her laced bra and sliding her panties down her legs until she was completely exposed to him. His fingers trailing up her inner thighs towards where he legs met.

Natasha let out a short gasp as his thumb began to rub against her most sensitive spot, slowly and gently before his tongue began to lavish the rest of her, and eliciting a guttural moan to arise from her throat. His tongue worked magic between her legs, licking her and sucking her until she cried out in ecstasy. He moved his mouth away to lick two of his fingers before plunging them into her and causing her to cry out again.

"Loki." She moaned with a raspy breath as she curled her fingers into his messy locks.

He sensed her desperation and smirked, moving his tongue up to her naval and gliding it up between her breasts until he met her lips. He crashed his down onto hers, his tongue demanding entrance to her mouth, and she gave it willingly.

She unbuckled his pants in a feverish frenzy before he could protest, and tugged at the material, revealing his arousal. He kicked off the rest of his pants in an equally hurried manner.

His hands roamed her body as he sucked and licked her lips in carnal desire. She let out a coarse cry as he entered her. Stretching her out and she dug her nails into his back in faultless pleasure. He moved into her at an agonising pace, his breathing ragged as he tried to control himself.

"Oh god." She moaned, arching her back in desperate attempt to be closer to him, and tilting her head back as she cried out once more. "Please, Loki. More."

He let out a breathy laugh and began to comply. Thrusting his hips into her at an animalistic rate, moving deep inside of her, and satisfying his fleshly pleasures.

Their cries became louder and more incoherent as they both neared their peak, he thrust into her more and more at a rapid pace, once, twice, the bad shook with each movement. With the third thrust of his hips, she let out a ragged shriek of euphoria as she climaxed, tightening around him and sending him over the edge as he came to the sounds of her pleasure filled cries.

He rested his forehead on her chest in the space between her breasts, his breathing ragged and heavy. He traced his tongue over one of her breasts, teasing her nipple as she caught her breath. She relished in the feeling of him still inside of her, when he pulled himself out she contained a whimper at the loss of contact.

They lay beside each other, drinking in the sight of one another in the flickering candlelight.

"Thank you." She breathed, and let out a coarse laugh at the whole situation. Her brain coming to terms with at had transpired.

"Sleep." He whispered, his slender fingers tracing the outline of her jaw and moving to entwine his fingers with hers.

She complied with his gentle demand, letting her eyelids droop as she realised just how tired she was.

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"Natasha, Ms Romanova." His gentle voice roused her from her slumber. A cold hand reached out and gently patted her shoulder. The touch was alarming and her instincts kicked in, swiping the hand away as she jolted upright. He face just centimetres away from Loki's. A smirk played on his lips as she took in his appearance in the morning light. "Good morning, Natasha."

"Morning." She replied hazily, her eyes wondering to his lips that were so close to hers. He pulled away from the bed and chuckled to himself.

"Unfortunately I cannot offer you any breakfast, so shall we make our way to town? I see no point in wasting any time in getting you back to… wherever you wish to go."

She nodded gingerly and reached for her uniform and began to dress herself, the memory of the previous night was hazy in her mind, but she fully remembered the pure bliss he had provoked from her as they lay together.

They left the house, Loki was clad in his cloak and other peculiar clothing that Natasha didn't bother to question, and she guessed he would merely give her another vague answer. He led her through the tight alleyways and empty streets until a distant noise of busy streets arose. They found themselves on the main road, with shoppers and tourists. Natasha took a relived sigh to be out of the labyrinth, and recognised the way back to her hotel.

"I shall leave you here, Ms Romanova." Loki took her hand and kissed the top, his eyes gazing into hers. He formed a gentle smile. Natasha stared down at where his lips had met her skin. She was lost over where this man had come from. He spoke and acted like someone of incredibly high ranks, yet he lived in an abandoned house, and dressed himself in an old threadbare cloak.

"Thank you." She breathed, still dazed from the contact.

"It was a pleasure to have you in my company, it is not often I find myself with… guests." He chuckled and released her hand gently to her side. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

He turned and left without another word, his cloak billowing in the wind behind him. Natasha turned to leave also, making her way through the busy streets to her hotel.

S.H.I.E.L.D. had been relived to hear from her when she called them, they had worried about where she had gotten to and bombarded her with questions about her safety. It didn't take long for them to send a helicopter to pick her up on the hotel rooftop, and take her back home. She never spoke of the man she met, only telling her colleagues she had found a place to stay all by herself, but she didn't forget him, she didn't forget the beauty of his appearance in the candlelight, or his articulate voice, rich with his accent. She didn't forget the sheer pleasure of his touch. There was something about him, something strange and it puzzled her for a few days subsequent to their encounter. He wouldn't soon be out of her mind, just as he had planned.

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**Please review x**


	2. This is My Bargain

A/N: So originally this was supposed to be a one-shot, but because I'm terrible with ending things without suggesting a sequel or another chapter accidentally, here we are. It took me aggggeeessss to come up with an idea to continue, and for a while I completely gave up, since I already have two other blackfrost fics I'm working on. But then I got an idea floating around my head, and I said 'what the heck!' I hope it's not a disappointment to those who asked for it to be continued! I will be posting another chapter soon! I just hope I don't get too distracted by this and forget about my other fics!

ENJOY! X

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"There's not many people who can sneak up on me." His silky voice echoed through the glass prison, and Natasha's skin crawled at the memory of when she'd last heard it so clearly. He'd spoken briefly in the quinjet, but his voice had been masked by the thunderous weather that Thor had brewed up upon his arrival.

"But you figured I'd come." She stated, standing proudly outside the prison and watching him turn to face her. Of course he knew she'd come, and though she'd told herself she wouldn't she found herself there anyway. From the moment she saw him, standing over the frightened crowd in Stuttgart, she'd recognised him immediately. It wasn't shock that had overtaken her then, no, she'd been prepared to see his familiar face. From the moment she'd gotten word back from Agent Coulson about a Norse god named Thor saving the small town of New Mexico from his brother Loki, she'd had her suspicions. After all, not many go by the name of Loki, and he _had_ been successful in avoiding telling her where he was from.

_"Where are you from?"_

_"That is another matter entirely."_

No, what overcame her when she saw him preparing to murder an old man who refused to kneel for him, that was disappointment. She knew it was ridiculous, she barely knew the guy and she was disappointed for him? Although, she was mainly disappointed in herself, how did she always manage to get involved with the bad guys?

"After," He replied, his voice was as smooth as she remembered. "After whatever tortures Fury can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a balm, and I would cooperate."

She wished she could break through the glass that separated them and ring his neck for the smug smirk that flickered across his features. She wanted to interrogate him about more than just Barton, she wanted to ask him about that night, months ago when he had probably saved her life. But she knew the cameras where watching them, and she was thankful that he seemed to be avoiding the subject so far.

"I want to know what you've done to Agent Barton." A flicker of disappointment fluttered across his alabaster features before he quickly composed himself to reply.

"I'd say I've expanded his mind."

"And once you've won, once you're king of the mountain, what happens to his mind?" She stepped cautiously towards him, her mind a frenzy of thoughts, yet she kept her composure cool as she took a stance close to the glass wall.

"Is this love Agent Romanoff?" His lips twisted into a mischievous smirk, and he eyed her. A small feeling probed him; it was like annoyance, mixed with a hint of jealousy. What could he possibly be jealous of?

Her uniform was the same as the one she had worn when he had come across her in Spain, but in the dim candlelight he hadn't properly noticed just how perfectly it fitted her curvaceous form.

"Love is for children. I owe him a debt." He wanted to point out how she still owed him a debt, but he kept his thoughts to himself, that could come later. But he wanted her to stay, despite everything, this woman of Midgard had impressed him and he found himself somewhat intrigued by her presence.

"Tell me." He gestured for her to sit as he walked to the bench on the opposite side of his cage.

Natasha began to tell him what he wished, of her relationship with Barton, of her past before SHIELD. Loki sat, taking it in, but he'd heard it all before, from the lips of the pathetic archer. As he sat and listened to her speaking of the man he felt his anger bubble to the surface, and he couldn't help the question that spilled from his lips. "And what will you do if I vow to spare him?"

"Not let you out." She replied, a small smirk playing on her lips, she wasn't stupid, far from it in fact.

Their interaction carried on, and she played her role perfectly. Faking obliviousness, making herself come across as nothing but another Shield agent and hiding her true potential until she deemed it necessary.

She knew how Loki would use Barton to his advantage. Not only using his skills in archery or his knowledge on SHIELD, Loki would also use him for insight on his opponents, and whom did Barton know best? Her.

"Drakov's Daughter, Sao Paulo, the hospital fire? Barton told me everything." She inwardly smirked at his look of victory, how he thought he had her outwitted, but she was prepared for this. She put on her mask, an expression of fear, of confusion, and he played right into the palm of her hand.

Loki slammed his fist against the glass, admittedly making Natasha jump slightly, but she quickly recovered and covered her face with an expression of horror. "… I won't touch Barton, not until I make him kill you, slowly intimately, in everyway he knows you fear, and then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams I'll split his skull!" She turned away, honestly feeling a little bemused. She hadn't expected such harsh words, she knew he was psychotic, and she knew he was a megalomaniac, but for some reason with a past like theirs, she supposed he'd be easy on her. She was wrong. "This is my bargain, you mewling quim!"

"You're a monster." She faked a whimper, but with her back turned he couldn't see how her face was a mere stoic expression.

"Oh no." He rasped with a breathy laugh, and she could sense the smirk on his features. "You brought the monster."

In that moment she dropped her act, relaxing her shoulders and turning to face him. "So, Banner," How she relished as the look of confusion flickered over his features, revenge was sweet, even if she couldn't physically hurt him, outwitting the god of lies was a fair compromise. "That's your play?"

"What?" He breathed, it was quiet but she heard him nonetheless, and she would have broke into laughter if she didn't have a job to do.

"Loki means to unleash the hulk," She spoke into her earpiece as she moved to leave the room. "Keep Banner in the lab I'm on my way. Send Thor as well." She dropped her arm back down to her side as she turned back to him, the tiniest of smirks dancing on her lips. "Thank you, for your cooperation."

And with that she was gone. His eyes followed her curiously as he watched her go, and he inwardly berated himself for subconsciously admiring her form from behind. He hadn't come to Midgard to lust at women, he had a job to do and however inconvenient it was that this woman happened to be his opponent, he wasn't going to let it get in the way of his plans.

He could never forget, however, the look of pure surprise that had flooded her features when he had boarded the Quinjet in Stuggart. He knew what he was in for, having Barton from the beginning was a great advantage, but he couldn't deny the strange feeling he felt when he had heard that voice of hers, seemingly coming from nowhere. 'Loki, drop the weapon and stand down.' The sound of his name on her tongue had sent memories of that night flying through his mind, but he'd quickly shoved them to one side as he aimed right for the jet.

He needed to get her out of his mind, if he wanted to do this job properly, he could not afford to be distracted by a woman from his past. Admittedly, she had known a different side to him, she'd met him before he found out his true parentage, before his whole life had crumbled into a lie. When he found her, he had been running from Heimdall's sight. His brother's coronation was to be in six days time, and he had grown tired of Thor's tedious boasting. So he left, Midgard had always been a place he considered peaceful, somewhere to escape. But time had ruined its once calming landscape, turning it into an unsightly mess of concrete and dirt, nevertheless he would stay there until he had concocted a plan to run a little mischief on his brothers big day.

* * *

He sat up from the crater he had created from being thrown to the ground by the bulky green monster. His back aching and he tried to keep in the moans of pain as he moved. He looked up as he beheld the sight of the Avengers, all of them, assembled. It was then that he felt the pang of loss in his gut, the feeling of defeat. His eyes roamed the team, examining them for injuries. It would please him to know that even if he did lose, at least he could inflict some pain upon them. Alas, they seemed strong enough. Even Banner was still in his unearthly green form, though his suit was scathed, Stark still stood proudly, as did the captain. His so called brother Thor stood with Mjolnir in his hand, and Barton had his bow at the ready, pointed directly towards him. But what caught Loki's eye was her, the Black Widow. She held his sceptre in her hands, her green eyes staring him down in triumph. He couldn't deny how strangely pleased it made him feel to see his weapon in her hands, though there was also a sense of annoyance at the sight, if it had to be handed to anyone, of course it would be her. First she outwitted him, now she holds his main source of power, would her mockery never end? He composed himself as best he could, his eyes flickering form her to the others so to seem indifferent.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now."

* * *

He paced his new confines, he had given up on plotting, revenge was too much bother for such a simple race. Yet he couldn't help but feel ashamed, for such weak and mindless creatures, they had beaten him, albeit with some losses on their part, but nonetheless, they had won. He gave up on pacing and took a seat on one of the benches that lined his prison, twiddling his thumbs and awaiting word from Thor about his return to Asgard. Would he even return? Would Director Fury even allow him to leave? He didn't know what would be worse, spending the rest of eternity in a cell on Asgard being constantly taunted by the warriors three and his would-be father, or remain on Midgard with the pathetic race of humans, detained by their weak and puny forces. It was laughable, to say the least, for them to think that they could keep him there.

The doors to the room opened with a mechanical hiss, and through his glass surrounding he could see the lithe form of the Black Widow, freshly dressed into black jeans, a red top and a black leather jacket. He was disappointed to not see her in her figure hugging uniform, but he quickly shook the thought from his mind, perhaps being dressed in something less provocative was a good thing.

"Come to gloat?" He murmured, looking down at his hands and refusing to look at her again. In his peripheral he could see her black heels move to stand by the entrance in a wide stance, much like how she had greeted him before. She didn't reply, and the silence between them only made him more agitated. He snapped his head up to meet her gaze. "What is it that you want, Romanoff?" He spat her name like venom, but his words had no effect on her stoic façade.

Natasha found herself without an answer. She gazed back at him, completely dumbfounded. She had no idea what had compelled her to come to see him, but after showering and getting changed, letting the dirt and blood from the battle wash away, she felt a pull, and she followed her instinct, leading her straight to where she was.

"Quite the contrary." She finally answered; her voice was strong, even if she felt the opposite. "I came to talk."

"And talk of what?" He moved to stand, slowly taking cautionary steps towards her. Only a wall of glass could stop him from lunging at her in full force, but because she could easily protect herself against a physical attack, it was his words that she was most afraid of. What verbal attacks would he use against her? what revenge could he concoct with that silver tongue of his?

"I think you know."

"Oh I do indeed." He chuckled wickedly at her, taking another step forward and resting his hand on the glass in front of him. "I did wonder when such a topic would be brought up."

"I have a bargain." She stated, holding her head high.

"Another?" He smirked. His green eyes flickered towards her body appreciatively before he regained his thoughts and returned to his belligerent glaring. "And what makes you think I will cooperate this time?"

"They're debating your sentence at this very moment." Natasha murmured matter-of-factly.

"Yes?" Loki kept himself from looking confused, but damn this woman was cryptic. Why did she insist on changing the subject every time she opened her mouth? "And why are you not there?"

"I skipped out on it on my own request." She answered, stepping back and pulling a chair out to sit down on. "But as a SHIELD agent, I still have a valuable opinion, and I have been known to manipulate Fury rather… successfully."

"And what has this got to do with our past, Ms Romanoff?" He questioned rather impatiently. He didn't bother to hide his agitation. She wasn't worth the effort. Yet as he watched her pensive expression, how her lips were pursed in thought, he couldn't deny how easily she had captured his attractions. He knew that deep down he longed to bury his hands into her fiery red locks, press his lips to her bare skin and elicit the most delicious moans from her lips. He had done it once before, but once was not enough to satisfy himself, he knew that. Damn her for her allurement.

"If you utter one word about our past to anyone, I can personally make sure that your punishment on Asgard is far more brutal than a simple prison cell." She smirked, momentarily dropping her detached expression to show him just how serious she was.

"And what makes you think that you have any power over the Allfather?" He rasped. His hand that rested on the glass tightened into a fist that urged to break through the prison and punish her for thinking he makes bargains with weak mortals like herself.

"Since we have the tesseract in our possession, and it is the only way for Thor to drag your sorry ass back home, we think we are in a pretty good position to be making deals with Asgard." She folded her arms over her chest and relaxed into the chair, with the upper hand on the situation she could feel calmer than she did when she first entered the chamber. "Fury can either keep the two of you here, or request an influence on your punishment."

"Well, as precious as it is that you mortals think you can do such a thing, I'm more inclined to wonder why in hel you think I would _want _to speak of our past, as if it is something I'm proud of." He may be the god of lies, but Natasha could see right through him. She'd noticed every glance in her direction, every glare that had faltered to flicker over her form. She smirked again, only agitating the god further.

"Whatever you say." She stood up from the chair, staring him down with her sparkling green eyes that narrowed as she scrutinised him one final time before turning to leave. She stopped by the exit, as she did before when she had tricked him, and she turned to look at him, her features returning to their stoic expression. "If you promise to never speak of it, like you say you so desire, then I can make sure you are returned to Asgard and dealt with without any influence on our part."

"Neither option sounds particularly favourable." He muttered, turning on his heel to face her. "But is suppose I'll agree to the latter. The sooner I escape your meagre grasp the better."

"Perfect." She let a small smile ghost over her lips at his compliance. "And if you go back on your word, I will find a way to make your time on Asgard a living hell."

"Perfect." He mocked, a malicious grin beginning to stretch his lips. "Are you threatening to bed me again, Romanoff?"

Natasha's jaw visibly tightened and Loki let out a small snigger at how he had penetrated her icy walls. Without another word she left the room, her hips swaying in that hypnotic motion that Loki couldn't ignore no matter how much he wished to. Damn her, damn her to hel.

* * *

A/N: So what do you think? Was it worth the wait?

Please review x


	3. This is Goodbye

Natasha sat in the conference room, Fury's voice droning on in the background as she stared at the image in front of her. The small screen on her laptop displayed the security footage of Loki pacing in his cell, his back hunched and his lips pursed together in the way they would when he was deep in thought. But even there, after a brutal battle, after defeat and embarrassment, he could still appear intimidating, even beautiful. She shook her head as the thoughts permeated through her mind. She knew it was natural to have a small attraction to him, especially with the past they had, but this guy murdered hundreds in the space of three days, he murdered Coulson.

Clint stretched out in his seat beside her, also ignoring whatever Fury was saying. He leaned over towards her, glancing at the screen and giving her a confused look.

"Why are you still bothering with him?" He whispered, his eyes still fixed on the screen as were hers. "We won, it's over."

"We may have won against the Chitauri, Clint, but I don't think it's over, not yet." She murmured back, only offering a quick sideways glance before she turned her attentions back to the screen.

"You think the bastard has another plan?" Clint leaned close, his expression becoming more serious.

"No, but I think someone else out there does." Clint's features flickered with confusion and she sighed, closing her laptop and turning to him. She made sure Fury didn't notice as she did so. "You really think Loki was behind _all _of this?"

"He seems like a pretty clever guy." Clint smirked, knowing that was an understatement. "And the sceptre did give him a pretty big advantage."

"But who _gave_ him the sceptre?" She retorted. Clint paused for a moment, his features darkening with the realisation.

"Loki was just the puppet."

"And someone, or something, out there was pulling at the strings." She finished his metaphor, a small smile on her lips as she did so, but her eyes maintained an air of seriousness.

"That still doesn't excuse him for what he did." Clint reminded her. Maybe she had gotten a little carried away. She wanted so badly to not have fallen for the bad guy, it always seemed to happen to her, and Loki was the worst one yet. "I don't think he had a puppeteer in New Mexico."

"No, of course it doesn't excuse anything, but at least we know he's not our _only_ threat."

"I'm too tired to be thinking about this." The archer groaned, rubbing his eyes with his forefinger and thumb. "Just when you think it ends…"

"It never ends, Clint."

"So we're all in agreement?" Fury's voice brought Natasha out of her melancholy thoughts. She looked up at the director, his good eye scanning the avengers for any signs of disagreement until it settled on her. "Agent Romanoff?"

"Sorry sir, I..."

"You weren't paying attention." He stated with a cold glare. "Well since you are now, the plan is to let Thor take Loki and the tesseract back to Asgard, the further they are from our reach the better."

"I whole heartedly agree, sir" She replied. Fury was right, the further Loki was from her the better, and the _sooner_ he left the better. She could only imagine having him detained for another few days, he was already corrupting a majority of her thoughts, if he were to stay any longer she didn't know what would happen.

The team got up from their chairs and filed out of the conference room. Natasha quickly grabbed her laptop and made a quick escape. She didn't want to endure Tony's nonsense or Clint constantly asking her if she was ok. She slipped past the others and darted back to her room. The helicarrier's living quarters were far from luxury, and she longed to return to her shoebox apartment back in Brooklyn, even if it was small, it was the closest thing she had to a home.

She stepped into her room, setting her laptop down on her desk and opening it. The footage of Loki pacing in his cell popped back up, and she found herself staring at the way his legs would stride from place to place, almost rhythmically.

He stopped in his tracks; turning to face the door, as if sensing it was about to open. A look of disappointment flushed over his face as Fury strode into the chamber, Maria Hill by his side. Natasha watched as they conversed, no doubt Loki was being informed of their decision to take him back to Asgard to face his punishment.

A strange feeling overcame her when she thought about it, surely she'd be happy to see him go, to see him being taken as far away from her as possible. But then again, there was a peculiar feeling of excitement whenever she recalled that night. The adrenaline, the exhilaration of doing something she would never do on a mission, of going completely against her better judgement. The moment that Loki had pressed his lips against hers as they sat on the bed together she liked to think that she had the will power to push him away, but in reality, she had been completely drawn in by him. Though it had gone against every instinct in her body, she did it anyway. And so in a way she was disappointed to see him go, he was a constant reminder of the excitement she had felt at the time, not to mention she loved the power she had over him whenever she noticed his gaze flickering over her body.

She closed the laptop with a sigh, it was so rare that she would sleep with anyone whilst on a mission. So why then on one of the very few occasions that she did so, did they guy have to be a homicidal maniac?

* * *

Loki paced his cell for hours, his feet beginning to grow sore, but he ignored the pain. He was anxious, if not a little disappointed. He had grown used to being around the pathetic race of mortals, he always felt so superior, so strong when he was near them. But now he was to return to Asgard, and beside Thor who's brute strength was always admired so much more than Loki's intellect. He would no longer be considered strong, he would no longer be considered intimidating. He would feel powerless, and he could only imagine what tortures the Allfather would concoct for his punishment.

His pacing jolted to a sudden stop when he finally noticed the feeling of another presence in the room. How did she always manage to catch him off guard?

"You're making a habit of this, Romanoff." He sneered. His back was still turned to her, but he could see her in the reflection of his glass cell. Her expression was stoic, and she stood proudly with her arms behind her back as she observed him. She was beside the control panel, something that bemused him. Was she going to open his cage?

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm only doing my job." She pressed down on a large green button and the door to his cell slid open with a hiss.

"And your job is to do what exactly?" He turned around, finally meeting her gaze directly. He watched as she took slow tentative steps towards the opening in his prison.

"We're transporting you to a location where Thor will take you back to Asgard." She informed him, taking a stance in the doorway in attempt to block the exit. He knew he could easily push past her, possibly shove her into the cell by herself and let it fall from the helicarrier like he had done with Thor. But instead he stood still, watching for any falter in her demeanour. She had to be feeling scared, nervous, anything. There was nothing but the air between them, nothing that could stop him from escaping. She didn't falter for a second, and Loki felt oddly impressed by how resilient she was.

"You're very trusting, Romanoff." He observed, tilting his head back and letting a small smirk appear on his lips.

"It's confidence." She retorted with an emotionless tone. "Not trust."

"Tell me, why is it that you are the one to release me from my prison?"

"I offered to. I suppose I've always enjoyed revenge a little more than my comrades." The tiniest of smirks ghosted over her lips at Loki's evident confusion. She held up her hands in front of him to show handcuffs and what looked like a metallic muzzle.

"Oh, Agent Romanoff, I thought you'd never ask." He sneered, evoking a disgusted expression to pass over Natasha's features, only pleasing him more. "Are there not cameras watching? I thought you wanted such elements of our past concealed."

"Drop the sarcasm, Loki." She responded as she narrowed her eyes at him. "This muzzle is to make sure that you keep your mouth shut."

Without another word she set the muzzle down on the floor and grabbed his hands from his sides, bringing them up in front of her. She quickly shut the handcuffs around his wrists, trying to ignore how strange it felt to be holding his hands in hers. There was probably a better way to cuff him, one that didn't involve so much contact, but all other methods were lost to her at that moment.

Loki watched her as she tightened the contraptions on his wrists, his eyes scrutinising her expression for a falter. He too tried to ignore the contact between them. The last time they had been so close was that night when she was on a mission. Since then there had only been glass between them.

When she picked up the muzzle her stomach flipped, why did she volunteer to do it? Did she think it would be enjoyable to see him restrained and pathetic, or was it just to see him? Up close, without anyone else to distract them.

She placed the muzzle over his lips, his cold glare watching her as she did so. It was surprising how compliant he was being, she had thought backup would be necessary, and that's why there was at least ten armed agents waiting outside the chamber if her were to lash out. Her hands trailed over his alabaster skin as she lifted up his hair to lock the muzzle in place on the back of his neck. She paused for a moment, catching Loki's gaze. His bright green eyes bore into hers. It wasn't long before she realised she's been resting her hands on the back of his neck, and she quickly let her hands fall back down to her sides.

Loki watched as she shifted on her feet. He smirked beneath the metal contraption on his mouth, finally he had seen her falter.

* * *

As Loki was lead by his brother out of the quinjet and towards the rest of the avengers, who donned their casual attire, looking like regular citizens, he noticed their sniggers and mocking looks. He felt like a dog on a leash, being watched by the pathetic passers by.

Thor clapped his friend Eric Selvig on the shoulder with a small smile, and taking the tesseract out of his hands. Loki looked up from the floor, where he's been averting the hateful gazes of the avengers, to see Natasha Romanoff beside Clint. She leaned over to him and whispered something into his ear, making the archer chuckle as his glare remained fixed on Loki. Something about this agitating act fuelled up more than just irritation in Loki, he found himself wanting to lunge at Clint, and wipe that disgusting sneer off of his face. Why did she bother with him? Sure he had his skills, he had an immaculate aim when it came to archery, but he was idiotic compared to her. Why she remained by his side astounded Loki. Perhaps she found his stupidity endearing.

His gaze moved from the red head to his brother, who took stance right in front of him. He offered Loki the handle to a contraption that contained the tesseract, and after a quick glance around at his teammates he turned the handle, sending them back to their planet in a flash of blue light.

As soon as they were gone the whole team let out a sigh of relief. Even Natasha, who often kept her composure so cool, was gazing at the sky, where the brothers had last been seen, with a look of happiness creeping its way across her features.

Tony and Bruce drove off in one of Tony's fancy cars, and Steve left on his motorcycle, flashing them the first genuine smile since the forties. Natasha sat in the passenger seat of Clint's car, and Clint sat at the drivers seat. Neither of them spoke, they merely sat in silence for a good five minutes before Clint finally spoke up.

"Vodka?" He tilted his head towards her, quirking an eyebrow.

"Vodka."

* * *

**_A/N:_**_ So this is quite a short chapter, but it's kind of just a setting-the-scene- sort of situation. I wanted to get the Avengers movie events out of the way, so now I can get to work with my own ideas, and work with how Loki and Natasha are going to meet next. I wasn't going to update this so soon, and I wanted to start working on my next chapter for Know Thy Enemy, but I'm kind of hung up on this fic right now. Oops._

_Thank you to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter! I'm really glad you liked it and thought it was worth the wait! :)_

_Please review._


	4. This is the Beginning

"I can't believe you're making me do this." She hissed, her blood boiling at the low chuckle coming from her earpiece.

"We're not asking you to sleep with the guy." She heard Tony explain, his voice breathy from laughter. "And would you trust any of us on such a delicate mission?"

"Just persevere, Tash." Clint interjected, his voice relaxing her instantly. "No one can master the seduction technique like you can, it'll be over before you know it."

She sighed as she watched her target saunter back towards her, holding two drinks in his hands. He was a greasy, slimy man who made no effort in making his suggestive leers towards her even remotely subtle. She wrinkled her nose as his musty scent travelled along with him.

"My dear, I believe it was the Vodka and Tonic that you wanted, was it not?" He smiled as he placed the glass in her delicate hand, completely oblivious to the fact that that hand could easily snake around his neck and strangle him to death in a matter of seconds. As much as she wanted to do so, she had her loyalty to the mission of course, so she sipped her drink like a 'proper lady', smiling and laughing at his crude and slightly offensive jokes. She would bite back real laughter whenever one of her teammates would make a snide remark in her earpiece.

Finally she had fully managed to worm her way into his desires, and with a cheesy line he invited her to his penthouse suite at the hotel the gala she was attending was being held. She took his calloused hand in her own as he lead her back to his room.

"Can I get you another drink?" He asked, making his way to the private bar in his suite.

"Another Vodka and Tonic?" She smirked, seating herself on his couch in an exaggeratedly provocative pose. He gazed at her for a moment, his eyes travelling up and down her body with satisfaction. He coughed, regaining his focus and he nodded, plucking out a vodka bottle from his shelf and loosening his tie.

While he made the drinks Natasha took the opportunity to explore his rooms admiring the artwork and the view from the window, but in reality she was checking for exits, easy escapes, even possible places where the object she was looking for could be stashed away. The object in question was a highly destructive weapon that had fallen into the wrong and unfortunate hands of the man who was making her drink, and judging by his blatant idiocy, he probably had no idea what the object was capable of.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" His voice drew closer as he walked close to her. She felt his breath on her back and she contained a disgusted shiver. "I like to pick the rooms with the best view, and this being the penthouse site, could I expect less?"

He placed the drink in her hands again, and Natasha began to understand why Tony hated being handed things so much, she was perfectly capable of taking it from him herself.

"The city is breath taking." She murmured, taking a small sip of her drink. Her eyes wandered to their reflections, only to see him staring right back at her with a disgusting look of desire in his eyes.

"You are so beautiful, Ms Rushman." His breath tickled her skin and she forcibly had to stop herself from flinching away.

His spare hand travelled from her hip down to her thigh as his mouth pressed against her neck. She needed to get a move on with this mission before he tried to go any further.

"There's no ice in your drink." She observed quickly, inwardly berating herself for coming up with such a pathetic diversion, but this guy wanted to move things to the bedroom, and there was no way that was going to happen.

"I must have forgotten." He laughed against her skin. Natasha clicked her tongue and turned around to face him, their faces barely inches apart and she could smell his sickly breath.

"A man as sophisticated as you needs to drink in a civilised manner." She whispered, drawing her lips closer to his, only to move away before he could make contact. She took the drink from his hands and walked back to the bar, her hips swaying seductively in the process. "Sometimes ice is necessary for when things get a little too… hot."

He let out a shaky laugh and adjusted his tie, his eyes wondering to her cleavage as she bent down to obtain the ice bucket from behind the bar. She caught his glancing at her, and in an instant he turned around out of embarrassment. When his back was turned she quickly reached into her bra and obtained a small vial of white powder and tipped it into his drink. She paced slowly and seductively back towards him, stirring the drink slowly and seductively as she did so. As he took the glass back his sweaty hands moved over hers in what he probably thought was a flirtatious gesture. He took a swig of his drink and grinned from ear to ear.

"Much better." He murmured. But as he moved to kiss her to say thanks, he paused, a look of confusion clouding his face. He looked up at her with a hint of realisation in his eyes as he collapsed to the floor with a thud.

"Definitely much better." She murmured, stepping over his body to search for the weapon.

It hadn't taken long to find what she was looking for, the idiot had hidden it in a desk draw, thinking that a flimsy lock could be safe enough. She sighed when she found it, hoping that there would at least be more of a challenge, she made a note to herself to confront Fury about giving her some more interesting cases. But to be fair to him, there hadn't been many missions where fighting was necessary, even the rest of the Avengers were complaining about the lack of action, all but Bruce of course, who was more than happy to stay in his lab.

But since Loki had run rampant in New York, missions had fallen uneventful when compared to the destructiveness of such a battle. It had been four months, and Natasha had successfully extracted Loki from her mind, she kept herself preoccupied with work and exercise, so much so that the image of the tyrannical man hadn't popped into her head in over two moths. It had taken a while to forget about him, to forget about the niggling feeling of attraction she had inside of her when she had last looked into his emerald eyes, but he was gone from her thoughts now. She couldn't even commend herself for forgetting him, because she couldn't even remember why she would. It was safe to say that the New York attack was completely behind her, well, that was until she returned to the base.

* * *

She had managed to jump into the shower when she got back, avoiding de-briefing while she relaxed and washed away the disgusting feeling her adversary had left her with. On her way back to her room she had made sure to shoot Tony a death glare, but escaped before he could ask any questions.

When she had washed and dressed herself however, there was a strange atmosphere in the base. It was as if during her shower something had gone wrong. She uneasily holstered her guns and made her way to the conference room, sensing from other agents' reactions that she was walking towards bad news.

She walked through the doorway of the conference room as the doors pulled apart making way for her with a mechanical hiss. Her eyes went wide, showing more emotion than she wished, upon seeing the sight before her. Thor stood at the end of the conference table, after not being seen nor heard from in four months. He looked tired, worn out and frustrated. He smiled lazily at her as she entered, being the only one to notice her arrival, and despite the noise of the doors as she walked in, no one had turned around to greet her. The rest of her team sat in their chairs, eyes fixed on the god in front of them.

"What's going on?" She asked, pulling a chair out and taking a seat beside Clint, who briefly smiled at her before he turned his attentions back to Thor.

"Loki has escaped from Asgard." Thor stated bluntly, as if he had repeated the statement more times than he wished to count.

"How is that possible?" It was the only thought that she formed into words, luckily, as the others were memories of Loki's emerald eye flashing before her eyes.

"I do not know." Thor sighed, collapsing into his chair. It was the weakest they had ever seen him, but it was understandable, if anyone had drawn the short straw in the whole Avengers deal it was him. Their first enemy as a team was his brother, who had managed to destroy part of New Mexico and half of New York as part of a tantrum. "I only came to warn you, he may be here on Midgard, and possibly seeking revenge."

"Perfect." Clint let out a sarcastic laugh and leant back on his chair. "A vengeful god who just so happens to have a reason to hate every single one of us. Did you even _try_ to keep him locked up? Or did you just let him loose in Asgard because the prisons weren't good enough for a pampered prince like him?"

"Barton, I can assure you that he was kept on high security in a cell specially designed to keep him. He was detained by magic, so how he escaped is unknown, as I have already said." Thor bit back the anger rising inside of him, how dare he question Asgards authorities.

"We don't know he's on earth." Steve suggested, frowning as he noticed everyone's incredulous looks. "There are nine realms, right? Earth, or Midgard if you will, is only one of them. If he really wanted to go undetected, surely he'd go somewhere were no one expected him to go. Earth seems kind of obvious, doesn't it?"

"Rogers has got a point." Fury agreed. He stood behind his chair, resting his hands on the back of it and watching Thor like a hawk with his one good eye. "We're grateful for the warning Thor. I'll set SHIELD on high alert for Loki, so if anyone see's him we'll be the first to know. In the meantime, I suggest you and the rest of Asgard go and search the rest of the realms for where that horned bastard could be hiding."

With a small frown at Fury's words Thor nodded and obliged. The rest of the team left the conference room, all but Natasha who stayed behind for debriefing. As she finished with Fury, she stepped out of the room to find Clint waiting for her in the hallway.

"You were right." He said in a gruff voice. His arms were crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall opposite her with a stoic expression.

"Right about what?" She asked, and she began to walk down the hallway, finding Clint meeting her pace and walking beside her.

"Four months ago, when we were sitting in that conference room, you said that you didn't think it was over. You had a feeling there was something stronger than Loki out there, I think you were right." Natasha paused and turned to face him with a small frown.

"You don't think Loki escaped from his prison, you think he was let out."

"I think it's a possibility."

"Ugh, I just got back from a job and now I have _this_ to deal with." She muttered, picking up her pace again.

"Trust me, I know how you feel." Clint replied, catching up to her once again.

"Oh really? Did you just have to seduce the slimiest guy of the century?" She smirked, happy to be turning the conversation elsewhere.

"No, but I did have to _listen_ to you seducing the slimiest guy of the century." He laughed at the way Natasha rolled her eyes at him. "It was scary for a moment, Tash, we thought you were actually going to sleep with him."

"Oh yeah, because that's totally what I would do." She bit off sarcastically.

"Well, I don't know, he sounded a little too eager over the earpiece."

* * *

Clint had managed to drag her to a small café for lunch where they both worked on averting their attentions from Loki. Though the thought of him remained in the back of her mind, the memory of his touch was something she had fought so hard to forget but it was futile, for once again he was corrupting her thoughts.

Every time she closed her eyes she remembered the image of his face in the candlelight, how he had felt beside her, those memories were not so bad before she found out he was a crazy god from norse mythology, seeking to take over the world. For months after that first encounter she had dreamt about him, re-living the moment and dreaming up new ways in which he would pleasure her until she screamed herself awake. But the idea was far better than the reality, as it so often is.

Clint walked her back to her apartment, even going so far as to walk her inside and to her door, saying it was just precaution, and joking that he didn't want Loki jumping out at her on the stairwell.

"Do you want to come in for a drink?" She offered while she unlocked the door and took a small step inside.

"No, I'm good. I'm thinking of heading to the archery range for a while, y'know, to clear my head and everything." He ran his hand through his hair, looking more and more uneasy by the second.

"Try to take your mind off of it." Natasha advised him with a small understanding smile. "This will all be cleared up tomorrow, and we can forget all about him for good."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Tash." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and gave her a half-hearted smile before he turned away to leave.

Natasha closed the door behind her and let out a long exhale. She stood there for a moment, staring up at her ceiling in thought, before a loud crashing followed by a dull thud startled her back to focus. She reached for her gun and moved slowly towards her kitchen where the noise came from. Upon entering the kitchen her eyes widened and she let out a terse gasp. On her kitchen floor lay Loki, surrounded by broken plates and glasses that he seemed to have pushed from the kitchen counter as he fell. He was lying on his back wearing a ripped green tunic and black pants, blood caked the fabrics, and his face was cut in multiple places.

"Oh thank the nines, I thought he'd never leave."

* * *

_**A/N:**__ So this was pretty short and a little lacking in the Loki department, but think of it as a sort of bridge to the next part. I just needed to set up what's to come, so this chapter was a little uneventful. But as you can see by the end of it, there's gonna be some Loki and some drama to come._

_I'm really excited for this fic, I've got a lot of ideas, and since SHIELD High is ending soon, I can focus a lot f attention on this when it's done._

_I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and that it wasn't too monotonous._

_Please review and let me know what you thought! ;) x _


	5. This is Your Debt

"Loki? What the hell are you doing here?" Natasha whispered, but her voice was strained as if containing a scream. God forbid Clint were to hear her and come back.

"A little help here, love?" He held out his hand lazily as if he wanted her to hoist him off the floor, but she remained rooted to the ground with her gun pointed directly at his head.

"What happened to you?" She breathed, her eyes softened as they roamed over his broken body. The hand outstretched towards her was scratched and bleeding, and he was almost unrecognisable underneath all of his cuts.

"Perhaps I can tell you once you've helped me up." He shook his hand out in front of her demandingly. "You owe me, remember?"

Natasha reluctantly stashed her gun and took his hand in hers to lift him up, Loki hissed in pain as her skin rubbed against some of his cuts as she pulled him up. She found herself rolling her eyes as he grunted in pain upon getting onto his feet, 'Drama queen' she thought. Once Loki was standing, albeit not exactly steadily, she slung his arm around her shoulders and dragged him to her lounge and dumped his frail body onto her couch, hoping that his blood wouldn't stain the cream covers, but it was inevitable considering the amount of blood that was covering his body.

"I'm going to ask again." Natasha stated, standing over him with her arms crossed over her chest, making herself look intimidating and authoritative, which wasn't difficult when standing beside someone as weak as Loki was at that moment. "What are you doing here, and what happened to you?"

"One question at a time, agent." Loki replied, his lips curling into a devious smirk. "So eager."

"I'll make it easier for you then." She raised her foot to his chest and pressed hard, eliciting a hoarse cry to escape Loki's throat. Natasha's lips cured into a smirk at the idea of his vulnerability, she had him in the centre of her web. "Why don't you begin with what happened to you, since I'm in the mood for hearing about your pain."

"Mmm, so cold and calculating, so cruel. It suits you, Widow." He chuckled as his sparkling green eyes roamed her body approvingly. His tongue peeked out to lick his lips but shot it back as he let out a guttural cry of pain as she pressed down harder on his chest.

"Don't make me ask more than twice." She spat, retrieving her gun from the back of her pants in a quick fluid motion, and in less than a second it was pointed directly at his head. "Now, I don't know if this will kill you, but even if it doesn't it's got to hurt like a bitch. Is that enough to loosen your tongue?"

"There are other things, more pleasurable things that can loosen my tongue, Agent. Things you're quite familiar with, if I remember correctly." He sneered, recalling the delicious taste of what lay between her legs. He was quickly ripped from his salacious memories when he felt a hot burning sensation shoot right through his arm. A loud bang resounded around the room and made his ears hurt almost as badly as his broken body. He looked down to see a fresh wound in his left arm and looked back at the black Widow who glared back at him with her lips tightly pressed shut. "Did you just shoot me?"

"Answer my fucking question, Loki." She snapped back angrily, though more angry with herself for showing unwanted emotion. She was pissed off. She's spent month trying to forget him, and then he shows up in her kitchen demanding help and bleeding all over her couch with no explanation, what was more was that she couldn't deny the strange feeling that overtook her when his eyes roamed her body. With any other man she would have been disgusted, but with him… she felt somewhat intrigued.

"Hmm, someone's feverish." He clicked his tongue and let out a breathy chuckle, shifting his body slightly as he tried to find a comfortable position. "I'm sorry, agent, but it seems that I'm in far too much pain to be answering questions at this present time."

"Fine, shall I call SHIELD? Tell them that Loki, the escaped prisoner has broken into my apartment and needs medical attention before we send him back to Asgard?" She smirked as she detected Loki's displeasure at the idea.

"I was rather hoping you'd tend to my wounds yourself." Loki replied, mocking sadness as he sighed and shrugged, looking down at his lap. "Since you owe me and what not."

Natasha stood and watched him for a moment, her gun remained steady as she kept it pointed at his head. She looked over his wounds again, her eyes falling over the one she had caused on his left arm. She almost felt bad for him.

"I don't know why I'm doing this." She muttered as she put her gun away and stalked into her bathroom to find the first aid kit. She returned to find him with his eyes closed and his hand clasped over his arm where she had shot at it. "Loki?"

"I'm still alive, if that was what you were wondering." He croaked with his eyes remaining shut. "Just hurry up and tend to my wounds."

"How polite." She bit off sarcastically and moved to his side. She looked at his tunic that was ripped with large gashes, and underneath she could see deep wounds that dug into his pale flesh. "You're going to have to take your top off."

"How very forward." He smirked, meeting his eyes with hers.

"You asked me to tend to your wounds." She glared back at him, evidently unimpressed with his jeers. "Do you want me to help you or not?"

"You're going to have to do it for me, Love." He grinned, moving his arm slightly to show how he couldn't move it enough to do it himself.

Natasha bit back a retort to Loki's suggestions, instead she moved to take off his tunic. She lifted from the bottom, revealing his slender and muscular stomach. But it wasn't how well built he was that made Natasha's breath to hitch in her throat, it was the deep cuts carved into his abdomen and chest. As she pulled the tunic away from his body it stuck on patched of dries blood and snagged on his ragged flesh wounds. She resigned to cutting the tunic off completely and throwing the fabric to the side. She dipped a cotton ball into a bowl of water mixed with antiseptic and squeezed it slightly so it wouldn't drip so much. She pressed it to some of the cuts, eliciting a small hiss to escape Loki's lips as it stung him.

"You're supposed to be helping, not making it hurt more than it already did." He snapped, clenching his fists at his sides.

"Antiseptic hurts like a bitch, but I would have thought a mighty god like yourself wouldn't find it so painful." She observed with a hint of humour in her tone, causing Loki to glare at her from where he lay on the couch.

* * *

Half an hour passed as she continued to tend to every cut on Loki's body, she found herself slightly annoyed when she found that the bullet from her gun had gone right through his arm and into her couch. She had held in a gasp when she turned him over to find deep gashes on his back which she supposed were from a leather cat o' nine tails, or perhaps something more advanced from another realm. When she had cleaned his wounds and used almost all of her bandages, she left him to rest while she washed her hands and disposed of his tunic.

She returned to find him asleep and she crept through the lounge to get to her kitchen where she quickly made herself a microwavable meal and a glass of vodka. She ate her dinner while staring her phone, thinking over all the reasons that she should call SHIELD and turn Loki in. But he was right, she owed him, and if that meant putting him up for the night then so be it, she hated the feeling of being in his debt, and if she had a chance to clear that debt then she was going to take it. She went back to check on him, and with an uneasy sigh she retrieved a blanket from her closet and placed it over his body. There was something different about him when he slept, he looked innocent, relaxed, and not constantly tensing his jaw or smirking in his mischievous way. He seemed more like the man she once knew, and it almost made her sad to wonder what on earth could have gone wrong to make him turn so cold-blooded and barbarous.

She shuffled to her room, finally realising how tired she really was. She hadn't slept since her last mission, and she would have collapsed onto her bed the moment she entered her apartment if it hadn't been for Loki. She changed into her black nightdress and tucked herself into her bed falling asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

She woke up with the sun shining through her blinds and glaring directly into her eyes. Natasha took one of her pillows and placed it over her face as she tried to shield herself from the light, but the memory of the evening prior quickly returned to her and she shot up from her bed, leaving the pillow to fall to the floor. She crept out of her room, peaking her head around the corner to listen out for any signs of movement. When she heard nothing she fully emerged from her room and walked into her kitchen, finding an open jar of jam and bread splayed over the counter. There was a strong scent of burnt toast in the air and crumbs were spread across the counter. The place was a mess. She moved to the living room, finding the blanket tossed to the side and a blood stained couch. She sighed and walked back to her kitchen to clean up, muttering under her breath how much of a dick he was.

He'd helped himself to her kitchen and left with nothing more than the mess he made for her to remember that anything even happened. Her eyes fell onto her phone again, and she pondered if it was too late to call and if she'd just get into trouble any way for letting Loki go. One thing she knew for sure, either way, Fury would find out eventually, and then she would be in trouble.

Deciding that she needed to take her mind off of things she quickly changed out of her nightwear and into her running gear. She ran around a nearby park five times and around a few blocks just down from her apartment. It was nearing two in the afternoon when she returned; she closed the door behind her and chucked her keys onto a small end table by the entrance. A shower was the first and only thing on her mind and she made a beeline for the bathroom, taking off her sweaty clothes and jumping into the steaming hot water. A soft hum left her lips as she felt the water fall onto her, it was just what she needed after everything that happened.

She decided that she wasn't going to go out for the rest of the day, she didn't bother dressing into her everyday clothes, instead she slipped back into her black nightdress and wrapped a silk black robe over herself as she left her room to make lunch.

"Your observation skills are waning." She heard his smooth voice from behind her as she chopped onions at the kitchen counter. Her grip tightened around the knife she was holding and her whole body seemed to tense the moment his voice was heard.

"I thought you'd left." She said responded through gritted teeth.

"I did." He responded simply, and he pulled out a chair from the island counter and took a seat rather nonchalantly. "But then I came back."

"Why?"

"Well where else am I supposed to stay?" He shrugged, picking up an apple from a fruit bowl and taking a bite.

"Anywhere else but here!" She spun around, pointing the knife in his direction angrily. "What makes you think I won't call SHIELD this instant?"

"Tell me, agent. Why haven't you called them already?" He leant forward, resting on his elbows as he took another bite from the apple.

"Because I owed you a debt, and now that I've fulfilled that debt, I no longer owe you anything." She stabbed the knife down onto the wooden countertop and crossed her arms. "Leave."

"Hmm, and because you were ignorant enough to shoot me in the arm, I think your debt is not quite fulfilled, Agent." He smirked, leaning back on the chair and crossing his arms over his chest looking rather triumphant. It wasn't until then that she fully noticed that he was still topless, and still donned in his ripped pants and bandages, but the cuts on his face had cleared up considerably, and he almost looked healthy again.

"That gunshot barley hurt you." She spat back, standing her ground. There was no way he was going to take advantage of her this way.

"Agent Romanoff." Loki sighed, looking rather bored at how he didn't seem to be getting his way. "Seeing as I haven't killed you yet, I'd say that was rather charitable of me. You see, there are people, and things that are looking for me, and I needed to find somewhere where no one would expect I would go, yet somewhere comfortable of course. So I suggest you allow me to stay here until I am ready to leave, or else I could snap your neck in an instant."

"What do you want?" She sighed, her breath was shaky as she took in the information he just gave her.

"I housed you when you had no where to go once before, all I ask is that you do the same for me."

"And what do I get in return?"

"Always trying to bargain, aren't you, darling." Loki smirked, his eyes flickering to where her robe was opening slightly at her chest. "You're life."

"No deal." She replied tersely, biting back a laugh at his look of confusion.

"I'm sorry?"

"I let you stay until you're ready to leave, and in return you give me information."

"Deal." Loki sighed, dropping his apple onto the counter exasperatedly.

"You sleep on the couch, you don't go near my room and you only use the kitchen to make coffee or a drink. The liquor cabinet is off limits, unless I give you permission, which I never will."

"Noted." Loki smirked, his green eyes glistening with mischief as he stood from his seat. "I don't suppose I'm allowed to use the shower? I merely guessed you wouldn't want any more blood on you couch."

"You can use the bathroom, but you're replacing your bandages afterwards, I'm not doing that for you."

"No matter." Loki turned to leave, pausing in the doorway to turn back to her with a devilish wink. "I think I've healed by now any way."

* * *

Natasha finished making her lunch, having almost cut her fingers in the process because she wasn't paying enough attention. The only thing she could think about was the fact that she would be living with a maniac for god knows how long and that she would be lying to SHIELD in the process. The only thing she could do to reassure herself that it would be ok was think about the fact that she would be acquiring information. Loki would tell her how he escaped Asgard, or if he was taken from there, and then she could use that to her advantage. As long as she was picking up dirt from Loki, it didn't really matter that she was lying to SHIELD, in a way she was doing her job. The benefits didn't really cover the consequences, but she was used to taking risks.

She's finished her lunch and downed two shots of vodka, and still Loki hadn't emerged from the bathroom. At first she saw this as a good thing, the less time she spent near him the better, but soon she began to feel antsy and even considered going to knock on the bathroom door to check up on him. It was then that she realised she had left the door leading from the bathroom to her bedroom open, and without thinking she dashed into her room to make sure he wasn't snooping around. She breathed a sigh of relief as she found her room empty, but in her peripheral she noticed the door wide open, her head involuntarily turned towards the sound of running water, and she saw him, standing under the running water, his hands at his sides as he tilted his head upwards towards where the water cascaded down onto him. Natasha dashed quickly out of the room, forgetting her laptop, all she could see, all she could think of was the image of Loki in the shower. A strange feeling overcame her, the same one that she had felt when she had lifted his tunic over his chest, the same feeling from when he had gazed down at her with piercing green eyes as she lifted the muzzle to his mouth. It couldn't be attraction, could it?

She had assured herself that it was natural, she had spent the night with him once, it was inevitable that she would think he was attractive. But after everything he did, all of those he killed, how could she see beauty in that? Surely his past deeds would mask any handsomeness with ugliness and disgust.

She paced the kitchen for a few minutes until she heard the sound of the bathroom door opening, and she paused where she stood before quickly turning to face the counter to clean, trying to make herself look busy and indifferent. What was happening to her?

"Did you enjoy what you saw, Agent Romanoff?" He smirked, pacing into the kitchen and leaning against the doorframe. Natasha turned to face him, her breath hitching in her throat as she beheld him, his ebony hair was dripping and fell in front of his face, his lithe torso was barely scarred and his towel was hung so low from his waist she was sure if it were to move down a few inches he would be on full display.

"Close the door next time, I didn't need to see that." She deadpanned, crossing her arms over her chest in her usual fashion, but she didn't seem to realise how much he liked the way it made her breasts look. "Let's get one thing straight, if you're going to be staying here, you need to keep your distance."

"Oh, Agent Romanoff, I'm afraid that's not going to be possible." He took three tentative steps towards her. He was so close she could smell the scent of her shampoo in his hair. "I find you much too… intriguing." He moved closer as he glared down at her, his nosed just inches away from her own. "I think we both know the real reason you haven't called SHIELD yet, you just can't admit it to yourself."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She replied, a stoic expression plastered onto her face, he had to hand it to her, she was good at covering up her emotions, just not good enough for him. He let out a slow breathy laugh, his tongue pressing against his teeth as he smiled down at her.

"We both know that's not quite true." His smile soon faded, and was replaced with a small and cunning smirk. "I'm going to make you beg for me, to make you cry my name until your voice is hoarse. I can promise you that."

* * *

_Please review x_


	6. This is a Game Now

Natasha stayed in her room for the rest of the day, reading and finishing paperwork on her laptop. Every so often she'd hear Loki's feet move across the floorboards, or hear the tap running as he got himself a glass of water. Multiple times she found herself opening up an email to Fury and telling him about her situation, but every time she would end up deleting the message and going back to her work. She was playing a dangerous game, if she could even consider it a game at all. But since Loki revealed his ulterior motive, she had realised just how much she was risking having him there. He had only been there a day, and she had already caught him when he was indecent, which still made her legs weak to think about. She was sure if he were to stay any longer she would give into the small attraction she felt towards him, and then she could lose everything.

'No, that's definitely not going to happen.' She thought, shaking her head. She fell back onto her bed with her hands covering her face. 'What the fuck am I doing?'

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the buzzer from the lounge, meaning someone was at her door. She sprung up from her bed, desperate to get to the door before Loki. She darted through the kitchen and into the lounge and answered the buzzer with a breathless "Hello?"

"Hey, Tash, it's me." It was Clint's voice on the other side, and she heard a small chuckle come from the couch were she turned to see Loki watching as he took a sip of his glass of water. He was still shirtless, and he sat with his legs spread widely apart as he watched her with a malevolent grin. "Buzz me up."

"Um, I'm kind of busy at the moment." She explained, narrowing her eyes at Loki's evident display of entertainment. "Maybe you can come round tomorrow?"

"Oh come on! I thought we could go out for dinner or something." Clint whined over the intercom, if only he knew that Loki could hear every word he was saying, he wouldn't whining like a little girl. "I haven't seen you all day!"

"He doesn't have abandonment issues, does he?" Loki chuckled from his seat, and Natasha shot him a contemptuous glare.

"I'm coming by the base tomorrow to drop of some paperwork, you can pick me up and we'll go there together. Sound good?" There was another whine at the other end, showing Clint's disdain for her compromise.

"Be ready for eight in the morning." She heard him murmur angrily.

"You're going in for eight?" She asked, shocked and a little annoyed that he was making her wake up so early.

"No, but I'm taking you for breakfast."

"Deal." She sighed, releasing her finger from the intercom button and turning to face Loki with a dethatched expression.

"So, Agent Romanoff, what do you have planned for dinner?"

"There's no way I'm making you anything." She laughed bitterly, taking a step towards the kitchen to prepare her own dinner. Loki leapt from his seat and stood in the doorway, directly in front of her. "Move."

"Make me." He smirked, glaring down at her with his bright green eyes.

"What are you trying to achieve by doing this?" She questioned, taking a step back so she wasn't face to face with his bare chest. "Besides pissing me off."

"You told me that the kitchen was off limits." He stated, biting back the rising fury he felt at her attitude.

"That I did."

"Then what do you suppose I eat?" He spoke through gritted teeth, and his jaw tightened in annoyance.

"I really couldn't care less. This is my home, not a hotel, Loki." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared right back at him. "Now move."

Loki didn't budge. He remained in his place, towering over her so that she was forced to crane her neck to meet his gaze. She tried pushing him, feeling ridiculous for resorting to such petty solutions, but he didn't even sway on the spot. She pushed again, but it was like trying to move a brick wall, he remained rooted to the ground.

"Oh, Agent Romanoff, don't stop, I'm finding it rather entertaining." His lips curled into a sly smile as he spoke, and Natasha retaliated by attempting to hit him in the face, but he caught her wrist just inches away from his jaw. He clenched his fingers around her wrist like a vice, and it took all the power she could muster not to cry out in pain. He glided her wrist closer to his face, letting his lips brush over the skin ever so lightly.

"Get the hell off of me." She spat, trying to pull her arm free of his grasp, but to no avail.

"Perhaps I can make this easier for you." He whispered, his hot breath eliciting goose bumps on her skin. "If you comply to my requests, I will happily tell you the information that you wish to know.

"We've already made that deal, I let you stay if you give me information."

"And letting me eat is all just a part of letting me stay." He chuckled, letting her hand fall back to her side. "The only thing I have eaten all week was that measly piece of bread I made this morning."

"Fine." She spat, her blood boiling at the way his smile widened at her compliance. "But if you ever lay a finger on me again, that bullet wound will be through your head next time."

"So feisty, I love it." He licked his lips as he smiled down at her, his eyes roaming her body as if he was mentally undressing her.

"We're getting take-out, since there's no way I'm cooking for you." She muttered, pushing past him successfully and marching into the kitchen to retrieve a take-out menu from one of the drawers. "Is pizza ok?"

"What?" He asked, furrowing her brow as he turned to look at her in confusion.

"Pizza, oh never mind." She sighed, picking up the phone and dialling the number for the restaurant.

* * *

Loki had picked at his meal with suspicion written all over his face, obviously not trusting the food Natasha would put in front of him. He soon got the hang of eating it with his fingers, murmuring things about how it was a savage way of eating, and Natasha would just roll her eyes and take another sip of wine. Alcohol seemed to be a recurring theme for her in the past two nights. Facing the stress that Loki inflicted upon her she often found herself opening up her liquor cabinet and drinking to numb the senses.

She offered Loki a glass of wine, and of course he sniffed it and glared at it, expecting it to be some form of poison, she'd actually considered putting some in his drink just to see if it would take an effect, but she supposed if she were caught the consequences would be severe. When he finally took a sip his lips curled into a smirk, and without using words she knew the drink was something he enjoyed. She had hoped he would hate it, as she only offered it to him out of kindness, which she didn't particularly deem necessary for someone like him.

"Not as good as the wine on Asgard, but it will suffice." He took another sip and picked at his pizza again with a curiousness.

"So, how about you tell me how you escaped." Natasha suggested, throwing a pizza crust down onto her plate and leaning back onto her chair. She watched as Loki finished his mouthful, still finding it strange to see someone like him doing something so… human.

"Yes, I suppose now is a good time to finally answer your question." Loki replied, wiping his mouth on a paper napkin and meeting his eyes with hers.

* * *

_It was like any other day for him, he woke up to the sound of his breakfast being delivered to him by a shaking servant. He had given up on lashing out at them, a waste of energy he thought, but that still didn't do anything to ease the nerves of anyone who came to deliver his meals. He sat with his head rested against the wall, he opened his eyes slightly to peek at the servant, who quickly placed the tray down onto an intricately carved wooden table, and left without a word. It was the same routine everyday. They would deliver him meals, but he would only ever pick at them, never really eating enough to sustain him, and his lack of nutrition was evident in his sunken features, how his clothes hung from his frame. He liked it that way, he finally looked like the monster that he really was, a ghastly sight to behold indeed. _

_He was midway through picking into his lunch when a large explosion caused him to stumble backwards and fall onto his back. He lifted himself onto his elbows, gasping in pain as his muscles ached from the movement. His eyes scanned his surroundings, but nothing could be seen through the smoking debris from the blast. He scrambled to his feet and stumbled towards what used to be a wall of glass that separated him from those who would come to watch him in his cage, now it was a mere pile of shattered glass. _

_A grin stretched its way across his lips as he realised he was free, despite the small feeling in the back of his mind that told him that there was more to this abrupt freedom that met the eye, Loki had been caged for far too long to care. He took his first steps out of his prison, his bare feet stumbling over the broken glass. It was then that he noticed a figure barging towards him from the smoke, and the fallen prince took a small step backwards in surprise. The figure moved so quickly that he barely had enough time to see who it was before a large hand clasped at his throat, causing Loki to squeeze his eyes closed in pain._

_The next thing he remembered, he was chained to a cold damp wall made of stone, he hissed as he felt his bare back make contact with the coldness, but it was what followed that made him cry out in pain._

* * *

"They tortured you?" Natasha probed, setting her glass of wine down, she supposed that since the subject was turning to a more sensitive matter, giving him her full attention would be the proper etiquette.

"For what felt like weeks." Loki replied, and Natasha was impressed by how well he managed to keep his façade so placid and composed when addressing something so scarring. "Though I suppose it was only two days or so."

"But who was it? Who let you out?" She leaned forward, becoming genuinely interested. This was no longer just a ploy to obtain information from him, no, Natasha was intrigued now.

"That is something that I do not know." He sighed, picking at the crusts of his pizza and flicking some crumbs. "But I do know it was not the work of Asgardians, no, these beings, their methods of torture were far too savage to be those of Asgards."

"The Asgardians tortured you as well?" Her eyes widened involuntarily out of pure interest and shock.

"Only briefly, before I was taken to my cell." Came his terse reply. "I think that is enough for today, don't you?"

"You still haven't told me how you escaped from them, or why you came to my apartment."

"When I feel you deserve the information, I will give it to you willingly. As for now, I feel you have been told enough for one day." He curled his lips into a smirk and leant back on his chair, watching her with those entrancingly green eyes.

"Fine." She sighed, picking up her plate and standing from her chair. She felt his eyes on her as she sauntered back to the kitchen, and it caused a small shiver to run down her back. She knew his game, he wanted to throw her off, and he wanted to disorientate her, confuse her. It was clear by the way he would strut around her apartment in nothing but his torn leather pants and in the way he would forget about subtlety when glancing at her body. If this was the game he wanted to play, she was more than happy to reciprocate.

* * *

She stood in front of the kitchen counter, wiping the surface down before she went to bed. She was still dressed in her nightdress and black robe, and she thanked god that Loki had not brought it up yet, she hadn't gotten dressed because she didn't want him to think that she was dressing up for him. She paused as she heard him enter the kitchen from behind her, and her hand clenched around the cloth in her hand out of anticipation. What idiocy was going to spurt from his lips this time?

Her breath hitched in her throat as she heard him approach her, and she stiffened when she felt his body press against her back, his hands resting on her hips.

"You weren't thinking of going to bed without bidding me goodnight, were you?" Loki purred in her ear, eliciting another shiver to overcome her. His lips brushed against the skin behind her ear and she pressed her hands firmly down onto the counter to steady herself.

"What do you want?" She asked in a quiet breathy voice, and she bit down on her lip so not to gasp as she felt his left hand slide down her hip and to the front of her thighs.

"I thought I was making that excessively clear." He whispered against the back of her neck. He slipped his hand underneath her robe and slowly brought it up her nightdress, stopping as he made contact with her lacy underwear.

The sheer feeling of his touch made her knees weak, and all thoughts of making him stop were cast to the far recesses of her mind. Her lips formed a small smirked as she understood this was part of his game, she could play along if he wanted her to.

"You think you can parade around the place in such a… suggestive outfit and I won't bat an eyelid?" He clicked his tongue and moved his right hand to move her hear away from her neck as he trailed the softest of kisses over the skin, Natasha bit her lip so hard she thought she should draw blood. "You were greatly mistaken, Agent Romanoff."

His thumb circled over her sensitive spot as he trailed his lips over her neck. She used all of her strength to bite back the moans of pleasure, she may be willingly playing his games, but she wasn't going to give him what he wanted, and that was her crying his name in a fit of pleasure. Her breathing became erratic and her eyes fluttered shut, as the feeling of his thumb against her was almost too much to bear. A small growl escaped his lips when his name didn't escape hers, not even a moan.

"Patience is a virtue." She reminded him coyly. She felt a small bite on her shoulder as a response.

"You seem to be suggesting that my prize is inevitable." He murmured against the back of her neck. He felt her tremble at his touch and her heartbeat quicken as he held his right hand over her breast. He bushed his thumb over her underwear, softly at first, and then returning to a more sensuous motion. Her lips parted as a silent moan escaped her throat, she wouldn't say his name. She wouldn't let him win.

"I never suggested anything." She replied, fighting to keep her voice steady. She couldn't deny how good his touch felt, and how much she longed for him inside of her. But it was something that would never come to pass. He was the enemy.

Loki clicked his tongue as a devilish grin broke out across his lips. "Perhaps you crave something but you cannot admit to it." Even_ his_ breathing became wayward as his hardened member brushed against her backside. The silk of her robe was soft against his bare chest, but he craved the softness of her skin. "You claim that I require patience, yet I can see and feel for myself just how much you desire more, you long for it."

He pressed his hips closer to hers so that she could feel his hardened length. He chuckled inwardly as he noticed how her hands were gripping the counter for dear life.

Her knees trembling and she was sure she would fall if he were to let her go. A sudden rush of memories flooded over her as he worked his fingers over the lace that separated their skin, memories of that night, of how he had felt on top of her. She had a sudden urge to turn around and ravish him of the island counter top, but as the memories continued she was confronted with the image of the man in the cage. The man who had called her a 'mewling quim' and destroyed had half of Manhattan. She twirled around in his arms, secretly relishing in the feel of his hands gliding over her body and making their way to her waist.

"I desire nothing from you." She retorted in monotone voice. Her expression was stoic, but it didn't hide the flush in her cheeks.

She pushed him away from her and strode back to her room, swaying her hips in a slow sensuous motion as she did so. She could hear his low breathy chuckle from behind her as she slammed her door shut and leant against it. She had a million different things running through her mind, memories, ideas and thoughts alike. He wanted her, and she wanted him. The only issue was that he had previously attempted to take over her world and then escaped from his own. Shield was looking everywhere for a sign of him, if they were to find out that he was living with her she would be in more trouble than she could imagine.

He disgusted her, but at the same time he intrigued her. She knew that all he sought to do was to get into her head and destroy her from the inside out, and she wished she had the strength to stop him but considering how good it felt, she wasn't sure she would be able to reject his advances when the time came.

Loki laughed to himself as he stared at the closed door. He was grinning from ear to ear at his success, he may not have won the pleasures of his name on her lips, but he had managed to pleasure her without any refusal on her part. His victory was small, but it had gotten him one step closer to what he really wanted, and he would get it in due time.

* * *

Please, please, please review!

xxx


	7. This Was Her Victory

She crept into the kitchen and grabbed a small piece of paper and a pen. _'Gone out for breakfast.' _She left the note on the counter and moved to the doorway and into to the lounge. She peered around the entrance to see Loki fast asleep on the couch. _Now for the tricky part, _she thought to herself. Natasha moved swiftly and silently across the room, grabbing her coat and keys as she did so, she looked behind her to see if Loki had woken yet, but he lay undisturbed. She slowly and carefully opened the front door and slipped out into the hallway, closing it behind her, making sure to make as little noise as possible when the door clicked shut.

She met Clint outside her apartment building and they walked together to a small coffee shop, where they took a seat in the far corner, Natasha liked it that way, being hidden away with just Clint was comforting and she didn't have the lingering gaze of strangers to make her feel uneasy. Clint got up to go and order their breakfast at the counter while Natasha fiddled with a napkin. No matter how much she tried she couldn't shake Loki out of her thoughts. She had left him unattended in her apartment, he could be trashing the place, rifling through her draws and eating everything in her kitchen. She got up to leave, not wanting to leave him alone any longer, but Clint returned with two trays of food and a bemused expression on his face.

"Where are you going?" He asked, setting the trays down and sitting across from her. Natasha looked down at the food on the table, her stomach growled furiously and she gave in, taking her seat once more.

"I'm not feeling too good, I was thinking of going home." She murmured, squeezing her eyes shut as the memory of the evening prior flashed in her mind. She had spent the entire night lying awake with the feeling of his hands still lingering on her body. She had taken an extra long shower and vigorously washed herself in attempt to rid herself of the feeling, but to no avail.

"I can take the paperwork in for you if you want to go home and relax." Clint offered as he lifted his coffee mug to his lips, warily watching her over the rim of his mug. "In what way aren't you feeling good?"

"Headache." She lied, nibbling on the iced bun that Clint had bought for her. "If you could hand in he paperwork to Fury that would be awesome."

Natasha reached into her bag and extracted a large manila folder and slipped it discreetly into Clint's own bag that rested beside his feet. They finished their breakfast together while they talked and caught up on each other's lives. Clint was apparently about to be sent off to Malaysia for a weeklong mission. _Probably for the best_ Natasha thought to herself as she pretended to listen to what Clint was rambling on about, _That way I can rid myself of Loki without Clint's prying eyes._

She had considered multiple times to tell Clint of her problem, but after having the God of mischief residing with her for two nights, telling Clint was more trouble than it was worth. No doubt Fury would have a lot to say about it, and Natasha would just have to put up with him for a little while longer until he was ready to leave. She sighed, realising how much shit she had gotten herself into, maybe telling someone wasn't such a bad idea? But something in Natasha was telling her to keep it to herself, to wait it out, and Natasha always fell to the mercy of her instincts.

When they were finished with their coffee, Clint and Natasha rose to leave, but an idea sprung to Natasha's mind and she reached out to tap Clint on the shoulder to get his attention.

"I'm gonna use the restroom, so I'll say goodbye here." She never usually announced when she wanted to go to the bathroom, but it was her only way out of the situation. A brief flicker of bewilderment crossed Clint's face and was shortly replaced with concern.

"You're not about to be sick, are you?" He asked, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm not sure, but you should go or you'll be late." At that Clint glanced at his watch, only just noticing the time and his eyes widened with the realisation.

"Shit." He breathed, moving his hand on her shoulder to pull her in for an embrace. "See you later, Nat. Hope you feel better soon."

Clint smiled and darted out of the shop and into a cab, when he was completely out of sight, Natasha moved to the counter, scanning the array of cakes and pastries. Why she was doing this she didn't know but she was doing it anyway. She ordered a pecan Danish pastry and a chocolate croissant to go, she wasn't sure if Loki would even eat them, and she found herself not caring. If she was going to extract the necessary information from him, she needed to be in his good books, and if Loki was intent on playing his sick sexual games with her, she was happy to play along. She detested it when she wasn't in control, when someone else had the upper hand, and after the night before when he had pinned her against the counter, she was determined to wipe his smug, victorious smirk right off of his face.

She accepted the paper bag of pastries and left the coffee shop, her mind was abuzz with possibilities. Her body was her greatest weapon, she had always known that, it was one of her greatest assets, that and her immaculate aim, her combat skills and superhuman strength, but seduction was by far one of the most fun tactics to use. She ran the possible scenarios through her head, imagining what ways Loki would attempt to torment her and how she could easily turn them on their head. A smirk worked its way across her lips as she imagined Loki's bewildered expression, how fun this would be.

* * *

Loki was standing in the kitchen with his back to her when she returned. He frowned as he fiddled with the strange contraption that was supposed to release the coffee beverage. He heard her approach him and enter the kitchen and his lips curled at the sides as he anticipated another round of getting under her skin, maybe even getting under her garments this time.

"What are you doing?" He heard her husky voice from behind him, admittedly closer than he had expected, but then again, she had a knack for sneaking up on him.

"It is none of your concern, Agent." He snapped, unwilling to reveal his struggle with a mundane Midgardian appliance.

He listened as her footsteps grew closer, and he managed to conceal his confusion towards her sudden tenacity, after the night before he had expected her to be out the whole day, avoiding him, or at least to retreat to her room instead of moving so close to him. He had to struggle to refrain from stiffening as he felt her chest brush against his back, she was standing closely behind him, but why?

"You press the red button." She informed him in a low sultry voice that both intrigued and bewildered him. Her hand stroked his arm as she placed a small paper bag on the counter beside him, and he watched as her clasp on it loosed and her hand slowly moved away. He breathed slowly, regretting doing so instantly as he smelled her perfume mixed with a warm smell of freshly baked pastries. Luckily for him his back was turned and she couldn't see his sheer confusion from her actions. She let out a long sigh, her chest moving closer to his back and her hips brushing against his backside, sending sparks down to his groin and eliciting a twitch in his hardening member.

He shook off his daze and quickly pressed the red button she had spoken of, almost instantly the machine buzzed to life and the rich scent of coffee masked her sweet smell, relinquishing some of the power she had over him. She moved away from him and made her way to her room, he watched as she swayed her hips in a slow sensuous manner, and he stifled a small croak of arousal as he watched her disappear behind her door. He squeezed his hands against the edge of the counter, steadying his breath and desperately trying to take his mind off of what had just transpired.

Loki poured his coffee, still feeling perplexed by her actions. He prodded the paper bag with his index finger, and warily lifted the bags opening with his other hand to peer inside. Two crisp and golden cakes sat inside, releasing a delicious scent that caused Loki's stomach to groan with hunger. He practically tore the bag apart and seized the closest pastry, inspecting it thoroughly before taking his first bite. The pastry seemed to crumble somewhat in his hands so he reached for a plate, not wanting another tiresome lecture from Natasha because he made a mess. He sat at the counter with his breakfast, his eyes glued to her door, waiting for her to emerge.

Why had she done this? Why had she bought him breakfast when she clearly despised his presence in her home? Why had she pressed herself against him as if to seduce him? Loki paused, leaning back on the stool he sat on, his lips curling in satisfaction as he began to understand what she was doing. She was playing his game, trying to get the upper hand. It was safe to say she had been victorious in her attempt, and he would give her that, because it would be the only victory she would have in this situation. He would have her, by his own means he would be the one in control. She meant to throw him off, to bemuse him. This would certainly be fun.

* * *

Loki had retired to the couch again, his thoughts elsewhere as he sat gazing at the blank wall in front of him. Despite escaping his cell and finding himself on Midgard, he still felt confined, like there was little for him to do, so he sat and daydreamed like he once did in his prison. He managed to keep his thoughts as distant from Natasha as possible as he fiddled with the upholstery on her couch. There was still a deep red stain on the creamy material, long past the opportunity to wash out, he almost felt bad, it looked expensive for Midgardian furniture. He was still without proper clothing and a few times he had considered summoning some clothes with his magic, but he knew the gatekeeper was watching, searching for him, and he needed to keep his magic to a minimum. It didn't trouble him too much, he enjoyed the way Natasha's gaze would roam to his naked chest, sizing him up and remembering how he had looked that night when he had taken her in.

He still felt dazed by the memory of that night, bedding her had not been his agenda, he had simply offered her safety. But there had been something about her that lured him in, entranced him. The last thing he had expected was for her to allow him to make his advancements, she had been the one to take off his cloak after all.

He squeezed his eyes closed trying to shake the memory of that night from his thoughts, but it did nothing to shake off his desires. It wasn't merely to entertain him, he knew deep down he wanted her for other reasons. She had been far too good to only have once, and after his run in with the Avengers she had impressed him, making him want her all the more. He didn't truly know if he wanted to sleep with her or kill her, never had a woman degraded him as much as she had when she had come to speak with him in his cell, and never had a woman intrigued him so.

He picked angrily at the upholstery as he ran the thoughts through his mind, his mood turning sourer at the idea of her trying to beat him at his own game. What he had once thought as endearing and amusing was beginning to unnerve him. She had a power over him, one that he had never expected her to use. A snarl ripped it's way from his throat as he swiftly stood up and began pacing the room. He was like a caged animal, and his prey was waiting on the other side of that oaken door. He glared at it from the lounge, and without a second though he speedily walked through the kitchen and stopped right outside the entrance to her room. He paused, cursing under his breath for being so effected by her, this wasn't how it was supposed to go at all.

He took a step back, deciding to leave and return to pacing the lounge. But before he could, the door opened hastily, revealing Natasha dressed in nothing but a white towel and her hair tied up in a messy bun with numerous curls falling around her face, showing off her slender neck. Loki sucked in a short breath when he saw her, and judging by the small smirk on her lips it didn't go unnoticed. He could hear the distant sound of running water, most probably coming from her bathroom, explaining her lack of clothing.

"What do you want?" She asked in her familiar stoic tone. Her right hand clasped at where she kept her towel up around her chest, and her left hand was still holding the door open. Loki's eyes roamed her body, despite how much he willed himself to keep his focus on her and keep a similar stoniness about him. He slowly met his eyes with hers and tilted his chin up to give himself an air of confidence and superiority.

"I need clothes." He drawled. Only when he detected a small twitch in Natasha's lips did he realise how petulant he sounded, but he remained firm and unwavering. "I would prefer to not use my magic so I would appreciate it if you could get me some."

In truth, he wasn't too bothered by his apparel, or lack of, but after being caught outside her door without a proper explanation, he deemed the topic of clothing was a good excuse.

"You want to go shopping?" Natasha smirked up at him, quirking a brow in amusement.

"I want _you_ to go shopping." He sneered, not enjoying the fact that she was openly laughing at him. "Is that not what Midgardian women do with their time?"

Natasha's face soured at his stereotype and she regained her stoic façade, pushing back her shoulders to mimic his superior stance. "Wait here." She murmured, stepping away from the door and sauntering to the other side of her room. Loki took this opportunity to look inside, it was a large room, and there was a distinct scent of her perfume mixed with essential oils in the air. His gaze fell to the large double bed, the sheets were crumpled and unmade with a book resting face down on the end. He stood in the doorway, not realising how long he had been gazing at the bed until something light and soft hit him in the face, jerking him away from his thoughts.

He caught the offending fabric in his hands and looked to see a white shirt in his grasp. He looked back at Natasha who stood in front of his bed, successfully blocking his view and folding her arms over her chest.

"There, you can wear that for the time being." She told him in a harsh tone, and Loki suspected it was from his inspecting of her sleeping quarters. He'd had plenty of opportunities to rifle through her belongings when she wasn't there, but he never gave in to the nagging sensation of longing to do so. It was her bedroom, and even though her wasn't the conventional houseguest, he knew her bedroom was out of bounds, no questions asked.

"And why do you have a shirt fitted for a male?" Loki asked, wondering if she had already taken the liberty to buy him clothes without his request.

"It was leftover from a date." She replied, wondering why she was bothering to tell him this, it was her personal business after all.

"A successful 'date' it seems." Loki muttered, inspecting the shirt in his hands. It was large, but the sort of size you would expect for an extremely muscled and well-built male. His jaw tensed automatically as the idea of her with another man sprang to mind. Why did it bother him so much?

"Extremely." Natasha smirked and stepped towards the conjoined bathroom to turn off the tap that was filling up her bathtub.

Loki remained in her doorway, watching her bed over to turn off the running water. The rich aromas and the image of her in next to nothing were quite certainly compromising the young god. His brain was screaming at him to walk away, to appear unaffected by her alluring act, but he remained, rooted to the ground watching as she tested the temperature of the water.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She said in a low breathy voice that managed to reverberate through the tiled room and into her bedroom. She had her back turned to him as she perched on the side if her bath, running her hands playfully through the water.

Without another word he left, leaving the door wide open as he retreated to the kitchen to make another cup of coffee. Nothing was stopping him from marching into the bathroom and whipping the towel straight off her body and claiming her for his own. He was desperate to, but that would mean she would win, and she could easily push him away and reject him. No, what he wanted was for her to want him. That was his goal. He wanted her to be desperate for him, to cry his name in ecstasy.

He had always been very ambitious.

* * *

_Please Review x_


	8. This Look Suits You

Loki was sat on the couch again, dressed in the ill fitted shirt and angrily picking at the upholstery once more, when Natasha slipped through the doorway from the bathroom into the lounge in nothing but that ridiculous towel. Her hair was dampened from the steam of the bath, and wafts of warm, lavender scented air drifted from the open doorway. She didn't look startled when she noticed him eyeing her from where he sat, and Loki's lips curled into a cruel smirk, knowing exactly what she was doing.

"Was the entrance to your bedroom… obstructed in anyway, Agent?" He inquired in a soft velvety tone that made a warmth pool in her stomach. His voice had always sounded so rich and alluring, his words always were his greatest weapon.

"No." She smiled almost innocently at him, her eyes drifted to where his fingers were plucking at her couch, and her gaze lingered on the slender fingers for a moment too long before she snapped her attention back to his piercingly green eyes. "I just wanted to get something from the kitchen."

Her excuse was weak, and she inwardly berated herself for it. She hadn't planned on entering the lounge from the bathroom, in fact she had planned to go straight back into her room to dress and finish off an email to Fury. But something had told her not to, something in her wanted Loki to see her in nothing but a towel, she wanted to elicit a reaction from him, and he knew it.

Loki grinned and let out a small chuckle before rising to stand. His long legs took strides towards her so he was towering over her in less than a second, his eyes scrutinising her from top to bottom. How badly did he want to rip the towel right from her body and ravish her on the spot, he would do anything.

"Do not think, Agent, that I am oblivious to what you are trying to do." His grin had faded slightly as his eyes bore into hers. She noticed a flicker of lust ghost over his expression if only for a millisecond, but it was there, and it was agony for her to detect.

"And what would that be?" She purred, inhaling deeply and jutting her chest out towards him. His eyes flicked down to her cleavage and just as quickly returned to her eyes. They were both as desperate as the other, only neither of them was willing to give in to their desires.

Natasha sought to undo him, to manipulate him and wind him around her finger until he caved and begged her for mercy. She told herself she would reject him, but there was a small feeling of doubt inside her that told her when or if the time came that Loki was begging for her touch, she would give in just as easily as he.

Loki sought to claim her for his own, he wanted _her_ begging for _him _and nothing less. No matter how much he craved her, he wouldn't give in until _she_ was the one desperate for pleasure. They were both incredibly stubborn, and the game between them would certainly be interesting, they both knew that.

"You know." He breathed, his head dipped so he was closer to her, his breath tickling her cheeks. "And it isn't going to work, Widow, you know better than that."

Natasha sighed again and stepped away from him, regaining her impassive exterior as she watched him straighten back up. His head tilted back so he could glare at her down his long nose, his lips curled into another smirk as they watched each other, as if anticipating a sudden move.

"You wanted to go shopping." She remembered, breaking the silence and retreating into the kitchen after his lingering gaze became a bit too much.

"I wanted _you_ to go shopping." Loki elaborated, following her with slow and steady steps. He kept his eyes away from how she moved when she walked, one more look at her in that skimpy towel was sure to set him over the edge.

"Yes, but I'm not your servant, I'm not about to go shopping for you while you lounge around here all day." She turned around in a sharp movement, her eyes glaring at him with annoyance. "However, I don't enjoy seeing your bare chest every waking hour, and I need that shirt back, so if I'm going to get you clothes, you're coming with me."

"Are you forgetting that I tried to take over this city not to long ago, surely someone would recognise me." He sneered, but as a small smile worked it's way up Natasha's lips, Loki's own smugness fell short. "What?"

"Can't you use some of that magic of yours on an illusion spell or something? It's that or you'll have to make do with what you've got, and that's not much."

"I told you," Loki growled, stepping closer to her, almost threateningly. "I cannot use my magic without being detected."

"You can't make the sacrifice just once?" She faked a pout and glanced at him pityingly, only fuelling his rage.

"Very well." Loki sighed, his hands tugging at his shirt uncomfortably. "But the enchantment will only last two hours at most."

"That's good enough. I'm going to get dressed, be ready in fifteen minutes." She turned and made her way to her bedroom, only stopping when Loki piped up once again.

"Why do you need the shirt back anyway?"

"Clint's been asking for it." She smirked and disappeared behind her door, leaving Loki to mull over her words.

He couldn't for the life of him understand why it bothered him so much. He had been angry enough to learn that the shirt belonged to a potential romantic interest of hers, but learning it was the stupid archers shirt only boiled his blood all the more. The mere thought of them together was enough to make Loki want to smash every plate in her kitchen out of anger and dare he say it… jealousy?

* * *

Natasha emerged from her room fifteen minutes later, dressed in jeans and a black top with red lining. As she walked into the lounge she slipped her jacket over her shoulders and swept her hear back. When she looked up she was confronted with Loki, only slightly different. His hair had changed from long ebony locks to a short curly strawberry blond and he had even added a small goatee to his look. Not only had his appearance changed, but something about his character was different too, he looked almost… friendly, approachable. He looked up from where he sat, smiling up at her, but this time with no malicious smirk, this time his smile was warm.

"You're a good actor." She murmured, shifting on her feet uncomfortably. She couldn't deny that she liked this look on him, it was inviting and far less intimidating.

"Trickery was always one of my greatest assets." His voice was the same, and it somehow took Natasha off guard. With his new look she had half expected him to sound different or to even have a more amiable tone of voice. Instead his tone was as cold and mocking as ever, if not still slightly alluring, but she shook that last thought from her head.

"Ready to go?" She asked, feigning boredom even though Loki's transformation still had her captivated.

"Somewhat." He smiled, standing from where he sat. _Still freakishly tall_, she noted, having to crane her neck to look up at him. She noticed how his eyes had changed too, what was once a piercing emerald colour was now an ice blue. Equally piercing, but much less… Loki.

* * *

As soon as they stepped foot out of her apartment she immediately regretted her decision. She felt eyes on her as they began to walk down the sidewalk, whether they had recognised Loki or not, it didn't matter, they were already attracting attention and she was considering turning back and forgetting the whole thing.

It was almost as if Loki had detected her uneasiness, as he quickly pulled on her arm, leading her into a small alleyway away from the publics prying eyes.

"What are you- Get off of me!" She tugged her arm away furiously, and the way Loki merely smirked back at her made her blood boil. She was doing this for him, she was giving up her own time for him, and his ungratefulness was getting on her last nerve.

"We need a cover." He murmured, stepping closer to her so that she could feel his breath on her skin. As an elderly couple walked by, sparing them a quick and confused glance, Loki's hand speedily moved to her waist, creating the guise of a young couple having a bit too much fun in an alley.

"We're going shopping, not robbing a bank." She hissed, trying to pry his fingers from her side.

"Don't try to fool me, Agent." Loki purred in return, brushing a curl of red hair away from her face. "I could see the distress on your face as you realised people we looking at us, and though I don't believe they recognised me it was indeed quite disconcerting. If we appear as an ordinary couple, out for the day, they won't cast us a second glance."

"I'm not going to let you use this moment as part of your sick little games." She struggled against his hold, despite the slight giddiness she felt at him touching her again, and the knowledge of how those lithe fingers were capable of working magic.

"Struggle all you want, Agent, it will only attract more attention." Natasha stopped moving, tensed for a moment, and finally relaxed against him. Her eyes glared up at him defiantly, she was disgusted with the triumphant look that had adorned his features.

"Just remember," She steadied her voice, her words were slow, but she had made sure every one hit him with seriousness as she spoke. "I'm doing this for you, so in return, I want answers to my questions. You can expect that when we get back."

"Very well." Loki nodded and his grip on her loosened, but still lingered. The touch was light and barely there, but his fingers hovered, only just making contact. "Does this remind you of anything?" He nodded towards the rest of the alleyway, and Natasha instantly remembered the labyrinth of alleys where she had first met him.

She glanced back at him, the tiniest of smiles curling her lips at the memory that was not quite a fond memory, instead rather queer, but it made her smile nonetheless. "Let's go, we haven't got long until the spell wears off."

She pulled Loki out of the alleyway and they resumed their walk to the subway, standing a little closer together in their lame attempt at seeming like a couple. Loki had been wary about the subway, looking down the steps to the underground station with disgust, and wrinkling his nose like the pampered prince that he was. It had taken some coaxing on Natasha's part for him to follow her down, and they were shortly seated in the cramped passenger car opposite an elderly man who couldn't seem to take his eyes off of Natasha's breasts. This caught Loki's attention of course, and he couldn't for the life of him understand why Natasha simply didn't break his wrinkly neck. But she seemed rather accustomed to it, letting her gaze fall onto her reflection directly opposite her and looking nowhere else. Loki on the other hand was looking almost everywhere, both amazed and disgusted by this particular mode of transportation. He detested the way the whole carriage seemed to jerk to the side every so often, and he would fall against Natasha, who remained stock still, like a rock.

Loki's attention was suddenly caught on a young couple a few seats away from them, and he watched as the male snake his arm around the girls shoulders and she leant into him, eliciting smiles from nearby passengers. He noticed how others seemed positively affected by their display of affection, and an idea sparked to his mind. He slowly moved his arm around Natasha, reaching with his free hand to grasp hers. She stiffened at first, not quite understanding nor enjoying the sudden contact, but she noticed the other couple a few seats away she grasped Loki's idea and leant into him. Almost instantly the old man across from them averted his gaze, not wanting any trouble and Loki smiled in victory as he pressed a small kiss to Natasha's forehead. She stiffened again and Loki soon felt her nails digging into his hand, so painfully that Loki had to fight back a small cry of agony. In return he dug his chin into her head as he pretended to rest his head atop hers and he smiled at an elderly woman who seemed delighted by their 'romance.'

* * *

Once they were out of the subway station and after Natasha had 'accidentally' elbowed him in the ribs, they were walking together down the busy streets of Manhattan. There were tons of people milling around aimlessly, and on multiple occasions Natasha and Loki had found themselves separated from one another. After numerous attempts to stay side by side, Natasha resigned to holding Loki's hand to ensure they wouldn't get lost.

She pulled him into a large men's clothing store, and quickly began browsing through the racks of shirts and pants. Loki watched her for a while, admiring how her skilled and nimble fingers speedily moved through the clothes as she inspected them closely. He soon grew weary of the mundane activity and began pacing around the shop, careful to stay close by to the agent so that she wouldn't freak out on him. He found himself looking through a display of scarves and running his thumb over the soft material.

"No." He spun around to find Natasha standing behind him, holding an abundance of different garments in her hands. "I'm buying you basic clothing, not expensive cashmere scarves."

"I never asked for them." He retorted, feigning an innocent expression as he looked back longingly at the dark green material in his hands.

"No, but I know what you're thinking." She glared pointedly at the scarf, as if mentally telling him to put it down, and with a small sigh he released the fabric from his grip. "You'll need to try these on." She thrust the array of clothing towards him and pointed to the dressing room at the far end of the store. "I guessed your size, so you'll need to tell me if anything is too small or too big."

"Thank you, Agent." He murmured, his gratitude was half-hearted as he skulked to the changing rooms. Natasha followed slowly behind, walking into a large circular room lined with separate changing cubicles, and with a large couch in the centre. She sighed and took a seat, knowing she was going to be there for a while.

She rested her face in her hands, wondering why on earth was she doing this. This was coming out of her bank account, out of her free time, but somehow it didn't really seem to matter. God knows why. If she were caught she would be in more trouble than she had ever experienced, not only was she harbouring an ex war criminal in her apartment, but she was also buying his clothes for him.

Loki appeared in the doorway of his changing cubicle after a few moments, dressed in dark jeans and a blue and white chequered shirt. He actually looked quite amiable, and… human?

"This looks like something Thor would wear." He muttered, evidently displeased by his attire.

"I would look a little out of place with your more… natural image." She observed, standing from where she sat and stepping towards him. She buttoned up the shirt to the collar and stepped back to look at him again. "Although it does suit you in the look you have now."

"You prefer me with blonde hair, Agent?" He smirked down at her, trying to hide the discomfort he felt at her being so close to him. The way her hands felt when they brushed out the creases on his shirt, slowly gliding over his chest, he was on the verge of taking her right there in the dressing room.

"It is more gentle than the raven black hair and the skin devoid of colour." She murmured, toying with the collar of his shirt. She didn't need to, she could have retreated back to her seat, but standing so close to him, inhaling his familiar scent, it drew her in. Loki chuckled as she pushed him back into his cubicle and held up some darker jeans and a green v-neck. "Try those on, they'll probably suit you better."

After a few minutes of waiting, Loki appeared in the doorway again, Natasha was distracted by her nails and didn't notice him leaning against the doorframe as he watched her. When she finally acknowledged him she frowned, reminding him that they didn't have long until his illusion wore off.

* * *

Three jackets, four blazers, two pairs of black slacks and five shirts later they were standing at the checkout, and Loki watched as Natasha slotted a thin rectangular card into a small machine. She caught his eye and turned to look at him head on as she waited for the transaction on her credit card to come through.

"Just add this to another one of your debts." She muttered, turning again and giving the man behind the register a pleasant smile as he handed her an abundance of shopping bags, which she later thrust at Loki and insisted that he carried.

They stepped back out onto the busy streets of Manhattan, and almost automatically Natasha reached for Loki's free hand to pull him away.

"Where to now, Agent Romanoff?" He asked, raising his voice to be heard over the hustle and bustle around them.

"Don't call me that." She hissed, squeezing his hand in an aggravated manner. "Not here."

"Fine. Where to now, _Natasha_?" He drawled out her name, almost mockingly as he followed her down the street. "I believe we have some time left before the spell wears off."

Natasha glanced at her watch, a look of consideration clouding her expression and she looked back up to Loki, pursing her lips in thought. "We'll go for lunch." She declared, pulling Loki away again and leading him to a small restaurant.

Loki followed as he and Natasha were escorted to a small table in the far corner of the restaurant. Their waitress greeted them with a basket of bread, two menus and a small candle to place on the table between them.

"A bit of mood lighting." She winked and flounced away cheerily.

Natasha didn't hesitate to blow the candle out the moment their waitress had disappeared form view, an exasperated expression on her features.

"Not a fan of 'mood lighting'?" Loki chuckled, silently disappointed that the candle had been put out, he had always appreciated Natasha in candlelight. Natasha glared back at him in return and turned her attention to her menu. While she was distracted, Loki flicked his finger over the candle, evoking a small flame to start up again, and he smiled as he watched it dance in its holder.

"I thought you were reluctant to use magic." Natasha frowned as she looked at the candle flickering between them.

"Only large enchantments, such as teleporting, invisibility," He paused, looking up at her under his brow. "Disguises."

"Do you think Asgard will find you because of your illusion spell?"

"If it lasted any longer than two hours, it would certainly cause a stir for them. But I should be safe." He played with the flame, passing his fingers through it as he considered something. "Are you worried about me being found?"

"I'm worried about losing my job." She retorted, picking up her menu once more and occasionally casting Loki glances over the top of it. "As soon as you're gone my life will be a lot easier. Which reminds me, when do you plan on going your own way?"

"Whenever I deem it appropriate. As for now, I'm rather contented with my living situation." Loki spared Natasha a devilish grin before he disappeared behind his own menu.

Natasha ordered a garden salad, and a glass of red wine, while Loki requested the lobster bisque, which just so happened to be one of the most expensive choices on the menu, displeasing Natasha all the more.

* * *

When they were settled with their meals, Natasha decided it was time for Loki to fill his end of the bargain. She was going to get answers.

"So, what are you going to do when you do finally leave?" She watched him intently as she broke apart a bread roll. Loki had stiffened considerably from the question, and he remained leaning forwards blowing on his spoonful of soup. He seemed to consider something, and then sat back on his chair, watching her as she watched him.

"I'm not entirely sure." He said quietly, as if the fact had only just dawned upon him. "Were could I even go?"

"No plans for world domination then?"

"One would require allies for such a task, and I am out of friends at the moment." Loki tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling as he considered his options.

"That's an understatement if I ever hear one." Natasha chuckled to herself, finishing off the rest of her meal. She frowned as she noticed Loki's half empty bowl, and she nudged her fork against his hand, jolting him out of his thoughts. "Eat. I didn't pay an obscene amount of money for you to leave half of it for waste."

"Sorry, Natasha." Loki apologised, and it was strangely gentle and genuine, unlike his previous apologies that were wry and malicious.

She watched him as he slowly finished his meal, and she couldn't help feeling somewhat sympathetic. He was hiding from his people, from his family, with nowhere else to go. His strength, his power was unusable, unless he wanted to be found. He was stranded in a strange world, and the only person he knew that didn't hate him to the full extent was her, so it was understandable that it was her apartment that he had fled to.

"Stop watching me eat." He demanded under his breath, not bothering to spare her a glance. "I am not a caged animal for you to observe."

"I wasn't…" She began, but Loki cut her off with a sharp tone.

"And don't bother with the sympathies, I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong." Natasha gazed at him in surprise, his mood swings were disorientating at best, and she averted her gaze from him, feeling her sympathy slowly slipping away.

He was as malicious and crude as ever, there was nothing appealing about that. And despite her minimal attraction to him, she knew she could never give herself to a man like him, no matter how flustered he could make her feel.

* * *

**_A/N:_**_ A super huge thank you to all my reviewers, you guys know who you are ;) _

_I hope you liked this chapter, and please review! xxx_


	9. This Isn't a Good Time

They were silent for the whole way back to Natasha's apartment. The subway ride was awkward to say the least, Natasha's attention would constantly be drawn to the way Loki would clench and unclench his fists at his side, giving him an obvious air of uneasiness. She wondered why he was making his anguish so plain to see. Maybe he couldn't help it.

Loki waited as patiently as he could as Natasha fiddled with the locks on her door, and she could see him tensing in her peripheral vision. Finally she managed to unlock the door, in colder weather she would usually find it stuck and difficult to manage. Just what she needed when a judgemental maniac was standing behind her.

She pushed the door open, but before she could enter, Loki barged past her swiftly and took a seat on the couch, dropping the shopping bags as he moved. Natasha slowly stepped into her apartment, scrutinising him up and down with every step she took. He glared at the floor as if he had some personal vendetta against it, his fists clenching and unclenching again. His illusion dissipated from his body, revealing his pale white skin and ebony locks.

"You're welcome." Natasha murmured, shooting him here deadliest glare before retreating to her room.

Loki watched as she walked away, his chest heaving as he seethed with rage and confined desire. He didn't even know _why_ he was angry, it was more sadness than anger, though he daren't make his misery apparent. After all, anger was far more intimating than sorrow. But Natasha's question had plagued him since the restaurant. What _was_ he going to do? He could go in search of SHIELD enemies, accumulate quite an army and attempt to conquer once more, but what was the point? Earth and Asgard weren't his only enemies, for there were plenty who sought his blood.

Her door closed behind her, swiftly and with a sudden slam that made Loki flinch. He rubbed his thumb over his knuckles impatiently, considering his next move. His want for her grew by each second, never had a woman been so memorable to him, but ever since that one night, she had consumed his most deepest thoughts and dreams. She was the stranger, the woman who had caught him off guard when no one else could.

Loki stood in a quick and abrupt movement. His legs were moving before his mind had really told them to, and once more he found himself outside her bedroom door. This time, however, he didn't wait around. He reached for the door handle and shoved the door open, marching inside without a second thought.

Natasha took a sharp intake of breath, caught off guard by his sudden appearance, and before she could properly understand his intensions, she found herself locked in Loki's firm grip. Both of her arm pinned to her side as his lithe fingers wrapped around them, squeezing tightly.

"Enough of this." He rasped, managing to keep her still despite how she restlessly attempted to wriggle free, and if her didn't have his otherworldly strength, she would have taken him down in a heartbeat. "No more of the games, no more of the lies."

"They were _your _games and _your_ lies to begin with." She spat through gritted teeth, glaring at him with her deep blue eyes.

"Then no more." He breathed, almost gently, yet his grasp on her was unrelenting, no matter how much she squirmed. "Give yourself to me."

Natasha went limp in his hands, staring back at him incredulously. She had expected more violent thoughts to be on his mind, but judging by his hooded eyes and dilated pupils, he had only one thing on his mind. Her lips curled upwards into a sly smirk as she gazed at him through her eyelashes. Loki's lips parted as he waited for her response.

"Look at you." She sniggered, causing Loki to squeeze harder around her arms, rage crossing over his features. "You're actually begging for it."

"I'm not begging, you filthy whore." He spat, clenching his fingers around her like a vice and Natasha stifled a yelp. Any tighter and he could brake her bones. "I could take you right here, right now if I wanted."

"But you won't." She replied in a steady voice, her eyes catching Loki's and they glared at each other. Loki's breathing was rapid and Natasha could feel it on her cheeks. "You want me to beg you."

"Precisely." Loki purred, drawing his lips closer.

"You dream big."

"What's the saying here on Midgard?" Loki breathed, his lips only just hovering over hers, relishing in the way her lips parted, as if to welcome him in, and what was more is that Natasha didn't bother to flinch away, she merely watched as he drew her closer and closer to his body. "_Go big or go home._ I thought it was clear by now that I have no home to retreat to."

Loki's hands loosened around her arms and Natasha calculated her next move. Before she knew it she was pulling her hands around the back of Loki's neck and tugging him down into a ferocious kiss. Loki's hands slithered from her arms to her waist with no hesitation. His tongue demanded entrance almost instantly, taking no time for pleasantries, he was desperate for her. Natasha gasped as Loki bit and pulled on her lip before conquering her mouth once more. He hands buried themselves in his greasy hair, not caring about how it felt, but only focusing on trying to get Loki closer to her somehow. They were already pressed against each other as much as possible, but it wasn't close enough.

Loki's mouth trailed down her neck and she tilted her head back, giving him full access to the tender flesh as he sucked and nipped at her skin. His hands working at her top, shakily undoing the buttons. She knew what was to come, what he was trying to do. It was the moment everything had been leading up to, wasn't it? She could either reject him, humiliating him and angering him in the process, or give him access to her body and allow him to give her the best pleasure of her life. She was as desperate for the latter as he, but she was clever, she knew how to tune out some of her most intimate desires.

"No." She moaned as his hand slipped under her top, brushing over her bra. He paused, giving her a steely glare. "Get out."

Loki snarled and grabbed her neck, pulling her closer for another heated kiss, and she moaned against his lips. Whether it was a moan of approval or rejection, even she was unsure, but all the same she pushed his chest, successfully prying him off of her. With a quick swing of her wrist, her hand swiped across Loki's cheek.

"Bitch." He growled, ripping off the ill fitted shirt he wore. For a moment she feared the worst, but he merely threw the shirt at her feet with a cold look in his eyes. "Give that to your archer, tell him regards from me."

And with that he simply marched out of her room, disappearing from view. A few seconds later she heard the front door slam and she knew he had left. _Just as well_ she thought, catching her breath, _he better not come back_. She couldn't deny the small feeling of disappointment in her at the thought that he wouldn't, and at the idea that she was moments away from the best sex of her life and she had turned it down. She pushed her thoughts aside, only really worrying about her poor neighbours, who now had to deal with Loki's wrath. She didn't know if he'd even put his disguise back up, and she wouldn't be surprised if she saw a news story about Loki's return to New York anytime soon.

* * *

Three days past, and Natasha began to think Loki had well and truly left. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally came to terms with it, and compressed the feelings of disappointment to the deepest recesses of her mind. That evening after Loki had left, Natasha had found herself waiting up for him, even feeling a little concerned. What if those who wanted him dead had captured him? She knew SHIELD hadn't found him that was for sure, otherwise she would be facing him at that moment, with a thick glass barrier between them once again.

She still worried from time to time, but years of training had given her the ability to compartmentalise her thoughts and lock the required ones away where they could no longer disturb her. So when she woke the next morning to find that Loki was still absent, she merely continued her day-to-day lifestyle. Clint was relieved to say the least, now that Natasha was seemingly less occupied with her time, he had her all to himself. He still wondered what had kept her busy, and he had to stop himself from imagining another guy from taking up her time.

Clint and Natasha had a tricky relationship. She viewed it as a 'friends with benefits' relationship, never seeming to get too close to him, and always pulling away if he pulled something romantic. Clint didn't love her, he chose not to, because if her fell prey to his true feelings he knew he would get his heart broken. So he lived a lie with her, pretending it was nothing more than sex and a friendship.

Natasha knew he wanted more, but she could never give him what he wanted, nor what he deserved. Besides, she was perfectly happy just friendship and the occasional fuck, to keep her satisfied. Relationships were too tricky, too messy, especially in her line of work.

"So… I'm free tonight." Clint grinned as Natasha wiped her face with a towel. The good thing about just a friendship, she didn't have to worry about how she looked after a workout.

"Good to know." Natasha murmured, discarding the towel to a nearby hamper. Clint frowned at the fact she wasn't picking up on his meaning and decided to stop dancing around the question.

"Drinks and then back to my place?" He stepped close to her, attempting to make it a seductive movement, but Natasha just rolled her eyes. He really had to choose when they were both desperate for a shower to be sexy?

"Sure." She deadpanned, really not in the mood to play along, but a vodka and tonic still sounded nice.

* * *

They entered their usual drinking establishment, and Clint ordered their drinks while Natasha found a booth in the dark corner of the bar, her hair still damp from her shower. She watched the candle that flickered in the middle of their table with the purest of resentment, and perhaps longing? The image of the flame dancing in its holder reminded her painfully of that day, that early evening when Loki had almost had her, and she had been on the brink of letting him have his way with her.

Clint shuffled his way over to their table, drinks in hand, and before he could sit down Natasha blew out the candle with a quick puff. There was nothing romantic about this situation. They were in a tiny darkened bar, her hair still dripping and only the prospect of a quick screw at the end of the night.

"Still not a fan of the mood lighting, huh?" Clint chuckled as he set down their drinks, trying to gaze at her through the darkness. "Why you insist on reducing us to drinking in the dark I'll never know."

"It's not completely pitch black, Clint." Natasha sighed, fiddling with her glass in a blasé manner. Clint huffed and leant back on his seat, beginning to realise Natasha's time may not be occupied by the mysterious person in her life, but it didn't mean her thoughts weren't. Indeed she looked completely inattentive as she slowly ran her fingertips over the edge of her glass.

After two more drinks Natasha was ready to just go home, she was usually the most resilient out of the two when it came to drinking, but she hadn't eaten much and she had been drinking her vodka and tonic like it was a life source. She and Clint stumbled out of the bar in a fit of laughter, in truth, she didn't quite know what she was supposed to find amusing, but the alcohol in her system had her close to tears with mirth.

"My place?" Clint suggested when they had both calmed down, and Natasha's mood slowly turned sour. There was nothing she didn't like about sleeping with him, he was a perfectly adequate lover, but she knew he would convince her to stay the night and then try to hold her as they slept. Many times she had tried to worm her way out of his grasp or even try to sleep on the couch, but he was persistent and she had been too tired to argue. More than anything, Natasha just wanted to get back into her own bed.

"Tonight's not really a good night." She slurred, slightly exaggerating her state so he would be easy on her.

"C'mon, Nat." Clint groaned, trying to wrap his arms around her waist but she pulled away.

"I'm tired, maybe some other time."

"At least let me walk you home." Natasha sighed and agreed, it was a fair compromise.

They didn't take tong to stumble back to her apartment, and Clint followed her through the front door of the building, telling her he wouldn't be satisfied until he saw her safely home, and that meant actually in her apartment. She fumbled with the locks for some time, whether it was because of the darkness or because of her drunken state, she wasn't too sure, but she managed to shove the door ajar after some effort. Clint reached a hand in front of the doors opening and leant into her. His breath smelled of bourbon, exactly what Natasha didn't need, she hated that drink with a passion.

"C'mon, Nat, just tonight." He moved his lips towards hers but she managed to quickly dodge out of the way before he could make contact. "Please? You looked so hot tonight, I want you."

"Go home, Clint." Natasha responded dispassionately. The look of hurt that crossed over Clint's features made her wince with annoyance, so she settled with a quick kiss to shut him up. Of course he took this as a sign that she was inviting him in, and began trying to make his way into her apartment, moaning against her lips with drunken desire. Natasha pushed him away forcibly, a glaring at him with a steely gaze. "Goodnight, Barton."

She swiftly moved inside and closed the door behind her, successfully locking him out. She looked through the peephole and watched as he glared at the door for a moment and then turned, shaking his head, to leave. Natasha sighed and closed her eyes, turning and leaning her back against the door with relief and exhaustion. It was only when she heard a faint cough did she snap open her eyes to see to God of Mischief sitting on her couch, dressed in black pants and a green v-neck, the clothes she had bought him. He glared at her with a look of pure malice as he picked at the upholstery of her couch.

"You gave him back the shirt, I suppose."

* * *

_**A/N: **__So this was kind of short, but the next one will be longer! I promise!_

_A big thanks to my lovely reviewers, I can't tell you how much I love seeing what you guys think, you are all fantastic, so thank you so much!_

_Please Review x_


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